NUTRITION EDUCATION IN ALCOHOLIC REHABILITATION
Date
1979
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
Type
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
This thesis examined the impact of a structured nutrition education session on the nutrition knowledge of alcoholics in a rehabilitation program. The target population was comprised of male and female alcoholics attending the program at Calder Rehabilitation Centre, Saskatoon, a unit of the Alcoholism Commission of Saskatchewan.
Data were collected over a four month period, September through December 3978 by the administration of nutrition knowledge tests. Eighty one alcoholics completed pre and post tests. A treatment group of 57 people attended the nutrition education session between tests. The control group of 24 persons completed pre and post tests without a nutrition education session.
The nutrition education session and materials used throughout were developed by the researcher. Educational objectives relating to the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains of learning were established for the session. Three content areas, general nutrition and health, the food guide, and nutrition and alcoholism, were incorporated in the educational session and the knowledge test.
Score changes from pre to post tests for treatment and control groups were analyzed. The treatment group showed a significant increase in overall nutrition knowledge and in the content area related to nutrition and alcoholism. Significance testing was at p < .05.
Descriptive data for the sample were analyzed on four selected variables. The mean age of the sample was 36 years. The most frequently reported educational level was 9-12 years, 59.3% of the sample. The predominate marital status was married/common law, 54.3% of the sample. The distribution of the sample by sex was 77.7% male and 22.2% female. These results were compared with published data of the Alcoholism Commission of Saskatchewan. This confirmed the representativeness of the study population.
The research results support the inclusion of a nutrition education session as a regular component of alcohol rehabilitation at Calder Rehabilitation Centre.
Description
Keywords
nutrition knowledge, alcoholics, rehabilitation program
Citation
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Home Economics