Table 7.
Comparisons by profession (GP/primary care, specialist, pharmacist, dietitian/nutritionist and physical therapist)
| GP/primary care physician | Specialist physician | Pharmacist | Dietitian/nutritionist | Physical therapist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definition of anorexia of aging. | |||||
| Loss of appetite and/or low food intake | 163 | 287 | 58 | 149 | 63 |
| Unintended weight loss | 51 | 82 | 11 | 37 | 14 |
| Sarcopenia or loss of muscle mass | 20 | 40 | 14 | 13 | 9 |
| Nutrition risk, malnutrition or undernutrition | 38 | 66 | 15 | 27 | 19 |
| Frailty | 14 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 3 |
| Missing | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Total | 288 | 496 | 115 | 241 | 108 |
| I use tools and resources such as evidence‐based guidelines developed by experts to care for my older patients with anorexia. | |||||
| Yes, all of the time | 19 | 46 | 6 | 49 | 4 |
| Yes, most of the time | 38 | 136 | 14 | 73 | 21 |
| Rarely | 64 | 81 | 21 | 43 | 28 |
| No, I prefer to use my own clinical judgement | 93 | 131 | 19 | 25 | 14 |
| No, I am not aware of tools and resources to care for my geriatric patients with anorexia | 55 | 65 | 28 | 26 | 19 |
| No, I do not use tools and resources because I do not have access to them | 8 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Not applicable for my professional role/responsibility | 3 | 13 | 16 | 7 | 17 |
| Missing | 8 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 4 |
| Total | 288 | 496 | 115 | 241 | 108 |
| Lack of high‐quality evidence to guide the care and treatment of older patients with anorexia makes it challenging for me as a clinician to choose treatment. | |||||
| Strongly agree | 27 | 45 | 7 | 33 | 18 |
| Agree | 122 | 200 | 47 | 92 | 35 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 73 | 117 | 32 | 46 | 26 |
| Disagree | 49 | 87 | 16 | 36 | 16 |
| Strongly disagree | 5 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
| Missing | 12 | 29 | 12 | 26 | 10 |
| Total | 288 | 496 | 115 | 241 | 108 |
| There are sufficient specialists available for me to refer my older adult patients with anorexia for additional assessment and/or treatment. | |||||
| Yes, all of the time | 23 | 41 | 7 | 21 | 8 |
| Yes, most of the time | 96 | 182 | 24 | 99 | 30 |
| Rarely | 62 | 94 | 13 | 37 | 20 |
| No | 86 | 129 | 41 | 43 | 27 |
| Not applicable for my professional role/responsibility | 9 | 26 | 20 | 22 | 14 |
| Missing | 12 | 24 | 10 | 19 | 9 |
| Total | 288 | 496 | 115 | 241 | 108 |
| I have access to an interprofessional team with experience in the care of older adults with anorexia. | |||||
| Yes, all of the time | 16 | 38 | 4 | 25 | 10 |
| Yes, most of the time | 75 | 137 | 27 | 72 | 26 |
| Rarely | 73 | 107 | 15 | 45 | 20 |
| No | 112 | 175 | 48 | 68 | 39 |
| Not applicable for my professional role/responsibility | 1 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 2 |
| Missing | 11 | 28 | 11 | 25 | 11 |
| Total | 288 | 496 | 115 | 241 | 108 |
| I involve caregivers such as family members as collaborators in supporting the older adult with anorexia. | |||||
| Strongly agree | 74 | 166 | 20 | 88 | 30 |
| Agree | 168 | 271 | 68 | 110 | 45 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 32 | 29 | 14 | 14 | 21 |
| Disagree | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Strongly disagree | 1 | ||||
| Missing | 13 | 28 | 11 | 25 | 10 |
| Total | 288 | 496 | 115 | 241 | 108 |
Abbreviation: GP, general practice.