Date
7-15-2024
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chair
Vickie Moore
Keywords
gut-brain axis, anxiety, depression, microbiome, integrative medicine, supplements, probiotics
Disciplines
Nursing
Recommended Citation
Dedmon, Sarah, "Provider Implementation of Probiotics as an Adjuvant Treatment Modality for Patients with Anxiety and or Depression in a Primary Care Setting" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5786.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5786
Abstract
The prevalence of anxiety and depression among Americans is growing rapidly. Patients are seeking out traditional treatments as offered by their primary care providers, but also frequently look toward integrative or complementary methods of managing their symptoms. The use of dietary supplements is at an all-time high, yet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate these substances for potency and purity or evaluate them using quality standards as it does pharmaceuticals. Most providers lack education regarding the physiological interaction their patients may experience when using these substances and are naïve to their place in primary care medicine. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to implement an educational program for primary care providers about the complementary use of probiotics to mitigate the symptom severity of anxiety and depression and encourage a practice change to recommend targeted probiotic treatment to patients who are diagnosed. A secondary aim of the project was to educate providers as to sources of high-quality dietary supplements to guide patients in their decision-making. Providers completed a change readiness survey, pre- and post-education questionnaires, and pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. In addition, they documented their recommendation of probiotics in the care plan of patients whom they deemed candidates for probiotic use as an adjuvant treatment. Providers demonstrated a statistically significant increase in their interest, willingness, and level of confidence in using probiotics and other integrative treatment modalities. They also demonstrated an increase in their knowledge of the microbiome, the gut-brain axis, the influence of probiotics on neurotransmitter synthesis, the supplement manufacturing processes, and sources of high-quality nutritional supplements.
