Los trabajadores auxiliares en nutrición de salud pública

Abstract

The work that is performed by auxiliary public health nutrition workers helps broaden the sphere of action of nutrition specialists, and such personnel are needed to take over simple manual tasks that they can readily learn through practice. Among workers who assist the nutritionist are the food surveyors and distributors, and among those who assist the dietician are aides employed in the food services and in similar occupations

The author reviews the duties of such auxiliary personnel and the current possibilities for their training, and discusses the questions of prior selection for training, educational requirements, and the specific subjects to be imparted, proposing the theory and practice content of the curriculum. Reference is made to the relative advantages of centralized, semicentralized, and decentralized training, as affected by the relationship between the school of dietetics and the other agencies that might possibly participate in the training

The author proposes the following definition of an assistant engaged in public health dietetics and nutrition:

"A person who, after having received specific training for the purpose, works at certain tasks under a specific work plan for public health nutrition and dietetics, under the immediate and continued supervision of the nutritionist and/or dietician."

It is also suggested that the generic name "health auxiliary" or "public health ...(AU)