journal articles
IMPLEMENTATION OF NUTRITION SCREENING FOR OLDER ADULTS IN GENERAL PRACTICE: PATIENT PERSPECTIVES INDICATE ACCEPTABILITY
A.H. Hamirudin, K. Charlton, K. Walton, A. Bonney, G. Albert, A. Hodgkins, A. Ghosh, J. Potter, M. Milosavljevic, A. Dalley
J Aging Res Clin Practice 2016;5(1):7-13
Background: Older patients’ views regarding undergoing nutrition screening within General Practice settings have not been evaluated to date. Objectives: To identify perceptions of older patients related to their experiences of having a nutrition screening process performed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF®), accompanied by a clinical care pathway. Methods: Patients aged ≥75 years were invited to attend repeat screening between 6 months and one year following a first screening (n=143). Patients who were identified to be malnourished or at risk at baseline (n=44) were invited to participate in an individual interview to identify their perceptions of the MNA-SF® and the applicability of a nutrition resource kit that had been provided to them. Results: Nutritional status improved in the group identified to be malnourished/at risk at baseline (p= 0.01). Interviews indicated that the MNA-SF® process was well-received but that patients did not perceive themselves as being in need of nutrition support. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that introduction of routine nutrition screening of older patients attending General Practice can feasibly be implemented using the MNA-SF® and is acceptable to patients. It is recommended that this model of care be adopted in order to improve early identification of nutritional risk and facilitate referral to appropriate services.
CITATION:
A.H. Hamirudin ; K. Charlton ; K. Walton ; A. Bonney ; G. Albert ; A. Hodgkins ; A. Ghosh ; J. Potter ; M. Milosavljevic ; A. Dalley ; (2016): Implementation of nutrition screening for older adults in General Practice: Patient perspectives indicate acceptability. The Journal of Aging Research and Clinical Practice (JARCP). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jarcp.2016.85