ENTERAL NUTRITION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ENTERAL NUTRITION - Essay Example paper examines Weenen et al., (2014) research in relation to providing a systematic approach to achieving research prioritization in enteral nutrition. From the research conducted the results obtained were in relation to defining the disease areas that needed more attention, ranking importance of product characteristics of tube feeding and finally assessment of the involvement of KOLs in enteral nutrition (Fulbrook, Bongers & Albarran, 2007). Weenen et al., (2014) ranked three product characteristics and three disease areas that deserved more research attention by summarizing the overall scores by multiplying ranks for both products characteristics and disease areas. The results were seventeen qualitative interviews conducted, and seventy-seven questionnaires completed and returned, which was only thirty-five percent in proportions. The noted disease areas by Weenen et al., (2014) in oral nutritional supplements(ONS) and tube feeding with highest priorities are ONS, general malnutrition and geriatrics, composition and clinical evidence, taste from a KOL perspective and taste from a patient perspective. The paper by Weenen et al., (2014) is significant for the subject area in that it highlighted the involvement of KOLs in the identification of research priorities as they have ability to provide balanced view of the unmet patient needs. Weenen et al., (2014) stated that sixty-two percent of all KOLs gave advice to enteral nutrition companies on patient needs by influencing the setting of research priorities by enteral nutrition. This was a limitation of the quantitative research analysis undertaken on patient needs and enteral nutrition in the market. Additionally, there was a high discrepancy between product characteristic prioritization from a KOL and patient perspective. Fulbrook, Bongers & Albarran (2007) researched about European enteral nutrition and adult intensive care units and noted that so as to appropriately know the patients’ needs and enteral