Table 2 Focus group discussion themes and example quotes
From: Use of electronic dietary assessment tools in primary care: an interdisciplinary perspective
Theme 1: Improving patients’ eating habits | ||
|---|---|---|
Subtheme | Citation | Quotes |
Raising awareness of diet | 1 | “It is meant to be a tool for awareness. Most people come back and go - holy smokes! I had no idea I was doing this or doing that. It is an eye opener” (RD/FG#11) [e-DA tool user]. |
2 | “[it] Puts the responsibility back onto the patient, and identifies more what they’re eating and how their activities are working” (NP/FG#2). | |
Increasing patients’ motivation | 3 | “I think they would be motivated to see those patterns and colourful graphs” (RD/FG#1). |
4 | “And they’ve a sense of self-control, because -‘Oh! Look what happens when I take out a teaspoon of sugar every day. I have lost some calories. Now, look at the carbs and my blood sugars improving-“(RD/FG#9) [e-DA tool user]. | |
5 | “I think that it is also an assessment tool of how motivated people are, because if they are going to do it, then, that shows that they are ready to take that next step” (RD/FG#2) [e-DA tool user]. | |
Theme 2: Improving the quality of dietary assessment | ||
Subtheme | Citation | Quotes |
Increasing the quantity and quality of dietary information | 6 | “It’s a new tool and is very visual…I would explain [to] patients in a way that they could visualize why we are saying –‘You’re not getting enough fruits and vegetables’- or –‘You need more calcium in your diet’ “(RD3/FG#3). |
7 | “Even in a normal visit, you might have somebody say: - ‘What is a recommended daily intake of…?’-I might not know off the top of my head” (Phar/FG#4) [e-DA tool user]. | |
Improving efficiency | 8 | “If I could only convince them to do it for three days to get a really good summary and when they actually come in to see me we can look at it and have a thorough assessment” (RD/FG#1). |
Theme 3: Integrating e-DA into the care process | ||
Subtheme | Citation | Quotes |
Balancing electronic media with face-to-face interactions | 9 | “I use a lot of email with my patients, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t just send me an email with their findings…you keep track and we will meet again…maybe easier for the patient” (RD1/FG#11) [e-DA tool user]. |
10 | “We haven’t opened up our office to email access by our patients; patients don’t often realize which is the most appropriate venue to be using our services” with patients to be attractive: (FP/FG#7). | |
11 | “I think it could be a good element, but it’s not going to help unless there is some kind of counselling involved here” (NP/FG#2). | |
Tailoring the e-DA tool to counselling | 12 | “The dietary device needs to have the ability to print off easily and get the big picture and see patterns immediately instead of looking day by day” (RD1/FG#11) [e-DA tool user]. |
13 | “I don’t talk calories, I like the idea of you look at your meal and see what is balanced or not, especially when I work with young girls” (NP/FG#2) [e-DA user]. | |
14 | “I am going to be communicating with people… the aspect of security or firewall protection I think is important” (RD/FG#7) [e-DA tool user]. | |