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Tracking and treating malnutrition: a retrospective observational study of the nutritional status of vulnerable people accessing a meals-on-wheels (MOW) service.
- Source :
- Primary Health Care Research & Development; 2020, Vol. 21, p1-7, 7p
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Aim: The aims of the study were to describe the characteristics of meals-on-wheels (MOW) recipients, including prevalence of malnutrition amongst those who have received input from the Nutrition and Wellbeing Service (NWS) and to explore whether the NWS had an impact on the nutritional status (malnutrition risk) of recipients over time. Background: Support services, for example, MOW, play an important role in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in the community. In the UK, MOW services are under threat. However, little is known about how they support the health and well-being of older people. This study reports on the characteristics of MOW recipients and investigates change in nutritional status over time. Methods: A retrospective study of MOW recipients of nutritional concern who were offered a check through the NWS was conducted. Demographic, social and health information were gathered at the initial visit. Nutritional status (risk of malnutrition) was obtained using the validated Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), at the initial and subsequent visits. Changes over time were investigated for recipients receiving at least two follow-up visits. Findings: An initial visit was made to 399 MOW recipients, and 148 recipients had two or more follow-up visits. At initial screening, 177 (44%) of recipients were at medium or high risk of malnutrition. Frailty was significantly related to malnutrition risk (P = 0.049). At follow-up, there was a reduction in malnutrition risk. Conclusions: The MOW service was associated with a reduction in malnutrition risk. By offering well-being visits within a MOW service, malnutrition can be identified early. Future studies into how MOW services might delay or prevent the need for support from acute health services and social care are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- MALNUTRITION treatment
MALNUTRITION
ELDER care
ANTHROPOMETRY
CHI-squared test
FOOD relief
FRAIL elderly
SCIENTIFIC observation
QUESTIONNAIRES
RESEARCH funding
STATISTICS
MULTIPLE regression analysis
WELL-being
BODY mass index
INDEPENDENT living
RETROSPECTIVE studies
DATA analysis software
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
NUTRITIONAL status
OLD age
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14634236
- Volume :
- 21
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Primary Health Care Research & Development
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 144805706
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423620000195