title: Nutrition knowledge, attitude and practice of teachers in rehabilitation centres in northern Malaysia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persons with disabilities (PWD) are susceptible to malnutrition. Caregivers or teachers in rehabilitation centres may not be adequately trained in nutrition management of PWD. The aims of this study were (i) to assess the nutrition knowledge, attitude and practice among teachers in community-based rehabilitation centres for PWD; and (ii) to evaluate changes in the nutrition knowledge and attitude of the teachers before and after exposure to a training workshop on nutrition management for PWD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a guided self-administered Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire on Persons with Disabilities (KAP-nOKU), among a convenience sample of 210 teachers. Forty-five of them further participated in a nutrition training workshop and completed the post-test evaluation on knowledge and attitude of the same measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, the teachers' average knowledge, attitude and practice scores were 13.80 +/- 3.73 for knowledge (below 50th percentile); 51.49 +/- 4.08 for attitude (above 75th percentile); and 48.08 +/- 3.61 for practice (between 50th and 75th percentile). There was significant positive correlations between knowledge and attitude (r=0.343, p<0.05), as well as between attitude and practice (r=0.147, p<0.05). After exposure to a 3-day nutrition workshop, significant improvements in the teachers' knowledge and attitude were observed, whereby teachers' knowledge score increased from 14.20 +/- 3.80 to 25.38 +/- 2.36 and from 51.16 +/- 3.97 to 55.20 +/- 4.41 for attitude (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutrition intervention was associated with improvement in short term knowledge and attitude of the teachers. Sustainable interventional strategies are needed to enhance the nutrition knowledge and skills of teachers of PWD.
authors.affiliation: Dietetics Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. chenseongting@gmail.com
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Soo
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Azriani
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Rostenberghe
authors.affiliation: Dietetics Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakinah
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004493:Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000517:prevention & control; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching