Browsing by Author "Jäntti, Aura"

Objectives. The aim of this study is to clarify experience or knowledge of the teachers of home economics on how, in practice, learning environment for the person with celiac disease should be organized during the lessons and what kind of challenges and possibilities in regards with the gluten-free diet will be faced. The objective is to clarify how the realization of gluten-free diet is being seen in the home economics teacher's work; what kind of planning and special attention it will require. The theoretical framework consists of discussing both the coeliac disease and the realization of gluten-free diet in everyday life of an adolescent person, in home economics teaching and in the entire school environment. Methods. This study was carried out as a qualitative study. Data were collected by interviewing seven home economics teachers. Semistructured theme interview method was used when carrying out the interviews. The data gathered in the interviews was thematically analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Ten themes emerged as answers to the research questions. Results and conclusions: In this study, many situations were found in which the celiac disease is apparent in home economics classrooms. Practical assignments of a coeliac pupil were mainly smooth, s/he was normally working in a group, but also sometimes on his/her own. There was a separate storage for non-gluten raw materials, to prevent cross contamination and a regular cleaning was used. Coeliac disease was seen mostly in social events: coeliac pupil was not invited into a group. S/he did not always want to emphasize the condition. The importance of group work and the ability to co-operate is being highlighted and there is a need for a coeliac pupil to have equal opportunity to work in groups. The importance of applying recipes was highlighted in the answers, it was specifically noted that a person with celiac disease should get tips for his/her own everyday life. The realization of gluten-free diet was seen in the teachers work especially while planning the classes and while ordering of the raw materials, but not, nearly at all, in the school's budget. Common understanding was that it is easy to find information on coeliac disease, but some of the teachers have twisted or distorted information which would lead to a situation where the importance of the special diet is not completely understood. The co-operation and school's support are very important for the coealic pupil.