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Description
Background: Most medical interventions recommended for patients with anxiety and depression include pharmacological treatments and psychotherapy. Thus, undermining the existence of modifiable risk factors, such as diet. Despite being an area of growing research, the gut-brain axis is a very broad topic among the healthcare field. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate registered nurses’ perceptions and understanding of the gut-brain axis and its implications for mental health management. Methods: This proposed exploratory descriptive study will conduct research among fifteen registered nurses, each with at least two years of experience in specialties such as gastroenterology, psychiatry, or hospital care. They will participate in semi-structured interviews lasting 45–60 minutes. These interviews will assess their knowledge of the gut-brain connection, attitudes toward nutrition-based interventions, and approaches to incorporating dietary education into patient care. Data Collection and Analysis: The data will include participants' responses from interviews that will be recorded and transcribed to identify patterns and themes using content analysis. The findings of the study will offer insight into the current understanding and knowledge gaps of nurses regarding the relationship between gut health and mental health. Conclusion: Although there is research surrounding the gut-brain axis, there is a gap in the understanding and perceptions of nurses around this topic. The results of this study can bring more attention to a primarily nutrition-based intervention. Thus, allowing nurses to create individualized treatment plans focusing not only on pharmacological treatments but also on a modified diet to improve patient mental health outcomes.
Department
Nursing
Publication Date
2024
Sponsorship/Conference/Institution
Dominican University of California
City
San Rafael, CA
Keywords
"Perceptions" "Gut-Brain Axis" "Mental health" "Nurses"
Disciplines
Nursing | Psychiatric and Mental Health