Perception of nutritionists in Argentina on the adoption of telenutrition versus in-person consultation

Abstract

Introduction: telemedicine and telenutrition have emerged as alternatives in healthcare delivery. Several studies demonstrate the benefits of this developing modality. This study analyzes the perception of nutritionists in Argentina toward telenutrition versus in-person consultations, as no published studies on this topic were found.

Materials and methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted between July and September 2023 through a self-administered questionnaire. Sampling was non-probabilistic and convenience-based. The variables studied included: academic degree, employment setting, mode of nutritional care, age range of patients attended, technological platforms used, average consultation duration, perception of consultations, advantages and disadvantages of telenutrition, and preferred modality. Data were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.

Results: a total of 453 participants completed the survey. Seventy-five percent used both care modalities. The most frequently used technological platforms were Zoom and Google Meet (68.1%) and WhatsApp video calls (65.7%). A total of 88.9% of nutritionists agreed with the use of telenutrition for the treatment of chronic diseases. While 20.5% considered treatment adherence to be similar in both modalities, 19.3% believed in-person consultations generated greater adherence. The most frequently reported barrier to telenutrition was communication and internet connection limitations (50.2%). The main reported benefit was scheduling f lexibility (84.5%). Among all, 52.8% preferred in-person consultations, 23.2% telenutrition, 17.7% both modalities, and 6.4% did not respond.

Conclusions: telenutrition has proven to be a valuable tool; however, challenges such as connectivity issues and low patient engagement must be addressed. Further research is essential to align with technological advancements.