EVALUATION OF CALORIC INTAKE, KNOWLEDGE, AND PRACTICES ON POSTOPERATIVE REFEEDING IN DIGESTIVE SURGERY IN NGAOUNDERE HOSPITALS, ADAMAWA REGION, CAMEROON

Abstract

Background and objective: Insufficient caloric intake among postoperative digestive surgery patients, linked to a lack of knowledge and practices regarding their re-feeding, is a frequent health problem in developing countries. The aim of this study was to assess the caloric intake of postoperative digestive surgery patients, as well as the knowledge and practices related to their refeeding in two hospitals in the city of Ngaoundere. Methods: This was an observational, analytical, cross-sectional, prospective cohort study over a 5 months period from June to November 2022, focusing on the patients, the diets of post-digestive surgery patients, their nurses, and the operating theatre nursing staff. Caloric targets were defined as those with mean intakes above 15 kcal/kg/day at day 3 and 25 kcal/kg/day at discharge. Results: A total of 134 patients, 240 caretakers, 20 nursing staff, and 614 dieters (meals) were included in the study. Males were more represented, with rates of 82.1%, 56.7%, and 75% for patients, nurses, and staff respectively. 25.4% of day-3 caloric targets and 24.6% of discharge caloric targets were met. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to investigate daily variations in means for each macronutrient, the difference being significant at p<0.05. Lack of information and practice on the composition of a porridge, food frequency score, feeding chronology, and lack of nursing practice on the part of operating room nursing staff, were the main reasons observed. Conclusion: The dietary balance in postoperative digestive surgery patients and the practices of re-feeding are deficient in the 2 hospitals in the town of Ngaoundere, suggesting an in-depth study of the dietary consequences they may have, such as undernutrition. Peer Review History: Received: 15 June 2023; Revised: 13 July; Accepted: 29 August, Available online: 15 September 2023 Academic Editor: Dr. Gehan Fawzy Abdel Raoof Kandeel, Pharmacognosy Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Giza, Egypt, gehankandeel9@yahoo.com Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Prof. Hassan A.H. Al-Shamahy, Sana'a University, Yemen, shmahe@yemen.net.ye Dr. Muhammad Zahid Iqbal, AIMST University, Malaysia, drmmziqbal@gmail.com