Determinants of Nutrition Appointment Attendance Among Male Veterans Attending Veterans Health Administration Clinics

ObjectiveTo identify determinants of nutrition appointment attendance among male veterans attending outpatient Veterans Health Administration clinics.MethodsSequential use of qualitative and quantitative methods. Individual, semi-structured interviews and a mail survey were used to identify factors associated with outpatient nutrition appointment attendance.ResultsQualitative analysis of 17 interviews revealed 6 themes reflecting rationales for missed appointments: travel difficulty, forgetting the appointment, competing demands, scheduling difficulty, knowledge not new or useful, and lack of provider support. Analysis of 349 returned surveys indicated past attendance history, health status, and participation in the referral and scheduling process correlated to appointment attendance (P < .05). Regression analysis substantiated the importance of social support (P < .05).Conclusions and ImplicationsVeterans Health Administration patients should participate in the referral and scheduling process. Social support, perceived health status, and past attendance history are important considerations for patient and provider to address.