KNOWLEDGE OF PROFESSIONALLY ACTIVE NURSES FROM THE PODKARPACKIE AND MAŁOPOLSKIE VOIVODESHIP ON SELECTED ALLERGIES AND FOOD INTOLERANCES

Background
Allergies and food intolerances are fundamental medical issues for the global population. The profession of nursing evolves with new scientific developments. A nurse’s knowledge of dietotherapy and diseases resulting from intolerances to nutrients is essential for professional patient care in the hospital environment. It is also vital in the preparation of the sick and their relatives for daily self-care and self-treatment upon discharge. This work aimed to assess nurses’ knowledge about gluten allergies and lactose intolerance, as well as the principles of dietotherapy in these diseases.

Material and methods
This study used a diagnostic survey method. The research tool was the authors’ survey questionnaire. The study was conducted in January and February of 2019 on a group of 306 nurses from the voivodeships of Podkarpackie and Małopolskie. Verification of differences between variables was made using the chi-square (χ2) independence test assuming a statistical significance p-value of <0.05.

Results
Studies have shown that the level of knowledge in these areas increases significantly with nurses’ age and job seniority. Among nurses working for more than 15 years, a satisfactory level of knowledge was achieved by 79.5% of respondents. An acceptable level of knowledge about the selected food allergies and intolerances was more frequently achieved among nurses from Podkarpacie (76.5%) than nurses from Małopolska (51.0%). Respondents that actively engage themselves in solving other people’s problems (80%) showed more profound knowledge of the discussed topic.

Conclusions
The study group showed sufficient knowledge of gluten allergies, lactose intolerances, and dietotherapy for these diseases. Age and job seniority have a significant influence on the level of knowledge of nurses.