Purpose: FoodNOW (Food to eNhance Our Wellness) engaged in assessment of simulated households that include a person living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Nova Scotia to determine if a basic nutritious diet is affordable. Methods: We used supermarket websites to cost food and beverage items listed in the National Nutritious Food Basket (NNFB) for simulated households, each with a PLWHA. Food costing methodologies were co-developed and adapted with community members in response to barriers presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: We found that simulated households, each with one PLWHA, that had a potential deficit after monthly expenses were a household of four on Income Assistance (−$1,058.70), a lone mother with two children on Income Assistance (−$973.65), a lone man on Income Assistance (−$677.40), and a household of four with one minimum-wage earner (−$383.45). Conclusions: Nova Scotia households with a PLWHA living on Income Assistance or with a minimum-wage earner cannot reasonably afford a nutritious diet in addition to basic household expenses. Using these food costing data can allow dietitians to efficiently inform government action and policy change to improve the health and wellness of individuals and families.
This scoping review mapped literature available on Canadian dietetics, nutrition, and foods students’ and graduates’ interaction(s) with simulation-based education (SBE) during undergraduate and/or practicum. One certified Librarian led the preliminary search (Summer, 2021), while three Joanna Briggs Institute-trained reviewers conducted the comprehensive search via MEDLINE (OVID), CINAHL (EBSCO), Academic Search Premier (EBSCO), Embase (Elsevier), Scopus (Elsevier), and Google (February 2022). A data extraction tool designed specifically for the study objectives and research inclusion criteria was used. We recorded 354 results and included 7. Seven types of SBE were recorded: (i) comprehensive care plan (n = 2); (ii) nutritional diagnosis/assessment (n = 2); (iii) body composition assessment (n = 1); (iv) introducing patient to dysphagia care (n = 1); (v) nutrition counselling session (n = 1); (vi) nutrition-focused physical examination (n = 1); and (vii) professional communications via social media (n = 1). Results indicate that Canadian dietitian-led SBE includes the use of simulated patients, nutritional diagnosis/assessment, and the creation of comprehensive care plans, among others. Students have been assessed for performance of trained tasks through exams, self-awareness surveys, and interviews, and SBE activities have been evaluated for effectiveness through questionnaires and interviews with users/students. Canadian literature is limited, and more can be learned by exploring the global context within and outside the profession.
There is a lack of nutritional programming and resources available for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Nova Scotia, Canada. This is problematic for several reasons, including that adequate food and nutrition knowledge is integrated to effective medical therapy and wellness for PLWHA. The aim of this research was to explore and describe the beliefs, values, and experiences of HIV-service providers involved programming for PLWHA in Nova Scotia. Using a post-structuralist lens, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine service providers. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts identified four main themes: (1) recognizing the social determinants of health, (2) acknowledging and disrupting layered stigma, (3) understanding the commensality, and (4) navigating and utilizing networks of care. These findings suggest that those developing, delivering, and evaluating food and nutrition-related programming must engage in community-inclusive approaches that recognize the varied social determinants of health that shape the lived of PLWHA, leverage existing networks and resources, and actively disrupt layered stigma. Also, in agreement with existing evidence, participants stressed the value of communicating and supporting the practice of eating together (commensality) and cultivating networks of care.
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