Effectiveness of Immuno-Supportive Dietary Education Programme on Dietary Practice among the Patients with Cancer

Abstract

Cancer remains a major health challenge in India, with cases rising significantly over the last two decades. A majority of patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, complicating treatment and recovery. In addition to conventional treatments, dietary management plays a critical role in supporting patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an immuno-supportive dietary education programme on dietary practices among cancer patients in a selected hospital in Mangalore. Methodology: quantitative pre-experimental one-group pretest-post-test design was used. Seventy cancer patients receiving outpatient oncology care were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured checklist. An educational session on immuno-supportive diets was conducted on the day of the pretest, and pamphlets were distributed. A post-test was conducted on the 21st day. Results: analysed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test showed a significant improvement in dietary practices (p < 0.05). Significant associations were found with education, area of residence, and BMI. A mild positive correlation (ρ=0.407, p<0.001) was observed between demographic variables and dietary practice. The study concludes that immuno-supportive dietary education is an effective, affordable, and feasible approach to improve dietary practices in cancer patients.