Trends in ethical transgressions amongst South African dietetic practitioners

Abstract

This study investigated ethical transgressions amongst dietetic practitioners in South Africa, using publicly available data from the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in the period 2014–2023. The study is a follow-up on the study by Nortje and Hoffmann (2015) who analysed HPCSA transgression records for the period 2007–2013. The current study found only five transgressions committed by two dietitians out of 1 376 cases across all HPCSA-registered professions. In total, amongst the more than 4 200 registered dietetic practitioners in 2024, this constitutes a transgression rate of < 0.05% (2 of ∼4,190), a decline from the previously reported 0.24% in 2013. While possible explanations for the apparent decline in transgressions are considered, no definitive conclusion is reached. Despite limitations, the findings highlight consistently low misconduct rates among dietitians over the past two decades, potentially positioning the profession as a model for ethical adherence in healthcare. t is recommended that future research be conducted to explore factors driving the high rate of ethical compliance in dietetics and its potential application across other healthcare professions.