Powerpoint presentation delivered concerning nutritionWestern Social Science Associatio

Baker, Dana Lee

Meers, Angela Marie

University of Missouri: MOspace

1Constructing Knowledge of Nutrition:A Comparative Study on State Nutrition Policies forChildren with Disabilities and Chronic IllnessDana Lee Baker, PhD Angela Marie MeersAssistant Professor Graduate StudentHarry S Truman School of Public AffairsUniversity of Missouri-ColumbiaWestern Social Science Association 23 April 2004Baker, D. L. & Meers, A. M. (2004). Constructing Knowledge Of Nutrition: A Comparative Study On State Nutrition Policies For Children With Disabilities And Chronic Disease, Report 36-2004.  Retrieved [Month, Day, Year], from University of Missouri – Columbia, Institute of Public Policy Web site:  http://www.truman.missouri.edu/ipp/publications/presentations.htmlPresentation OutlineI. Knowledge Construction and Agency of AgenciesII. The Case of Disability Specific Nutrition TherapiesIII. Project MethodsIV. Preliminary Findings—management, portrayal, communication, hierarchyV. Conclusions and Next Steps2Knowledge Construction9 Knowledge and disability are inherently relativistic9 Construction of knowledge is a locus of government power9 Balance between explicit and tacit knowledge is shiftingAgency of Agencies9 Government entities have personality9 Agencies expected to act in own self-interest9 Agencies make and communicate public  decisions about (controversial) information9 Decisions surrounding information create official knowledge3Disability Specific Nutrition Therapy9 Nutrition therapy is vital to management of chronic illness and (some) disability9 Plethora of easily accessible information about nutrition and nutrition therapies9 Scientific evidence and knowledge is evolvingNutrition Therapies for Children with Disabilities or Chronic Disease Survey9 Ongoing survey launched January 2004  9 18 questions, both open and close ended9 Includes behavior, opinion, and knowledge questions9 Invitations to participate sent to agencies in all 50 states4Preliminary FindingsManagement:9 42% of respondents indicated their agency recommends disability specific nutrition therapies9 32% of agencies that recommend nutrition therapies had policies regarding the communication of such information 9 18% of respondents that reported their agency did not recommend nutrition therapy had policies regarding such informationPreliminary FindingsPortrayal:9Concern that constructing controversial nutrition information into official knowledge would mislead parents or guardians9 23% reported that their agency would be likely or very likely to discuss controversial or nontraditional nutritional options with parents or guardians of children with disabilities or chronic illness 5Preliminary FindingsCommunication:9 70% reported using personal communication to convey information about disability specific nutrition therapy to the parents or guardians of children with disabilities or chronic illnesses9Lack of knowledge was cited frequently as a reason preventing discussion of information regarding disability specific nutrition therapiesPreliminary FindingsHierarchy and History:9 60% considered it very important or important to discuss disability specific nutrition therapies for physical, neurological and chronic diseases9Respondents from agencies that did not recommend nutrition therapy consistently rated the importance of discussing nutrition information lower9Eastern state agencies were less likely to recommend disability specific nutrition therapies6Conclusions and Next Steps9Observed reliance on medical professionals and established (not necessarily most proven) scientific evidence 9Consistent sense that it was important (or at least not unimportant) to communicate information about disability specific nutrition therapies9Data collection will conclude in July 2004 9Environmental scan of selected agency websites

Constructing Knowledge of Nutrition: A Comparative Study on State Nutrition Policies for Children with Disabilities and Chronic Illness

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