Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Health Sciences

.: ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Vegetarian and Vegan Individuals' Experiences with Healthcare Professionals: A Descriptive Study
Vejetaryen ve Vegan Bireylerin Sağlık Profesyonelleriyle Deneyimleri: Tanımlayıcı Bir Çalışma
Sevilcan Başak ÜNALa , Müge DEMİRb
aHacettepe University Institute of Health Sciences, Program of Public Health Doctoral Degree, Ankara, Türkiye
bHacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of History of Medicine and Medical Ethics, Ankara, Türkiye
Turkiye Klinikleri J Health Sci. 2024;9(2):227-36
doi: 10.5336/healthsci.2023-98951
Article Language: EN
Full Text
ABSTRACT
 Objective: The prevalence and popularity of vegetarian and vegan diets in Western societies are increasing. This descriptive study examines vegetarian/vegan individuals' experiences with healthcare professionals while receiving healthcare services. Material and Methods: A data collection tool about socio-demographic and dietary characteristics, effects of the diet on life, and experiences with healthcare professionals was created by the researchers. Vegan/vegetarian individuals were reached through an online questionnaire, and 463 questionnaires were assessed using descriptive statistics methods. Results: Participants' mean age was 27, and 82.3% were female. 38% were following a vegetarian diet, and 55% a vegan diet. 38.4% reported health-related reasons as dietary motivations. 12.7% of participants received counseling from a health professional before deciding to follow their diets and 27.2% while following their diets. 30.9% encountered healthcare professionals due to health problems, and 66% of them said that the healthcare professional was not informative and/or disincentive. 37.6% were willing to share information about their diets automatically while receiving healthcare services, 53.3% stated that they would only disclose it if asked. Conclusion: Participants stated that they preferred their diets for ethical issues and healthy living. They stated that they received support from their family and friends regarding their diet. However, it is worth noting that the majority of the participants did not receive consultancy on their diets from a healthcare professional, and more than half of the participants only disclosed their diets if asked. It should be emphasized that participants' nutrition styles should be taken into consideration in health services and medical education.

Keywords: Vegans; vegetarians; medical ethics; professional-patient relations; delivery of health care
ÖZET
 Amaç: Batı toplumlarında vejetaryen ve vegan beslenme biçimlerinin sıklığı ve popülerliği giderek artmaktadır. Tanımlayıcı tipteki bu çalışmada, vejetaryen ve vegan bireylerin sağlık hizmeti sunumu sırasında sağlık profesyonelleri ile yaşadıkları deneyimler araştırılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Sosyodemografik özellikler, beslenme özellikleri, uygulanan diyetin hayata etkileri ve sağlık çalışanlarıyla deneyimleri içeren bir veri toplama aracı araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulmuştur. Vejetaryen ve vegan katılımcılara çevrim içi anket yoluyla ulaşılmıştır ve 463 anket tanımlayıcı istatistikler kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Katılımcıların yaş ortalaması 27'dir ve %82,3'ü kadındır. Katılımcıların %38'i vejetaryen, %55'i ise vegan diyet uygulamaktadır. Katılımcıların %38,4'ü beslenme biçimiyle ilgili motivasyonunun sağlıkla ilgili nedenler olduğunu belirtmiştir. Katılımcıların %12,7'si uyguladığı diyete karar vermeden önce, %27,2'si ise bu diyeti sürdürürken bir sağlık profesyonelinden tıbbi danışmanlık almıştır. Katılımcıların %30,9'u sağlık sorunları nedeniyle bir sağlık profesyoneliyle görüşmüştür ve bunların %66'sı görüştüğü kişinin bilgilendirici olmadığını ve/veya engelleyici olduğunu belirtmektedir. Katılımcıların %37,6'sı sağlık hizmeti alırken beslenme biçimiyle ile ilgili bilgileri kendiliğinden paylaşacağını ve %53,3'ü bu bilgiyi ancak sorulursa açıklayacağını belirtmiştir. Sonuç: Katılımcılar etik konular ve sağlıklı yaşam için bu beslenme biçimini tercih ettiklerini belirtmişlerdir. Beslenme biçimleri ile ilgili aile ve arkadaşlarından destek aldıklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Ancak katılımcılarının çoğunluğunun beslenme biçimi konusunda bir sağlık profesyonelinden tıbbi danışmanlık almaması ve katılımcıların yarısından fazlasının sorulmadığı sürece beslenme biçimini açıklamaması dikkat çekicidir. Bireylerin beslenme biçimlerinin sağlık hizmet sunumunda ve tıp eğitiminde dikkate alınması gereken bir husus olduğu vurgulanmalıdır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Veganlar; vejetaryenler; tıp etiği; profesyonel-hasta ilişkileri; sağlık hizmeti sunumu
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