Is this safe to eat? : managing a dietary requirement in Malta

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explore and analyse the experiences of Maltese resident individuals’ dietary requirements. The main research question aims at trying to understand the different factors that are impacted when having a dietary requirement. The aim is to gain insightful data about the experience, ranging from the lived experience, coping strategies, and risk, to the financial impact and the doctor-patient relationship. While the literature review shows plenty of research abroad, there is minimal data available locally, and therefore this thesis aims at contributing to addressing this gap. A mix of data collection methods were used, including interviews (n=6), a survey (n=127), and visual diaries (n=3). This allowed me to ask questions with different focuses, and to show a representation of a day in the life of a person living with a dietary requirement. The main themes that resulted from the qualitative data were lived experiences that opened up into the subthemes of shaping stigma, centre of attention, emotions, other’s perception of myself and the self, and the doctor-patient relationship. The second theme was risk which explores medicine, risky behaviour brought on by social pressure, spontaneity, the risk of stigma, knowledge at restaurants by comparing the local with abroad, and the experience of getting diagnosed. The third theme is the art of surviving, which goes through the subthemes of medicine, symptom management, communication in relationships, and the support and lack of support in relationships, medical professionals, adapting to a new lifestyle, financial impact, the challenges of daily planning, and health literacy. In the quantitative data, the questions were split into sections that cover the main themes from the qualitative data, therefore, the analysis focused on the lived experience of managing a dietary requirement, health literacy, financial situation, risk, coping strategies, and social reactions.