Risk for malnutrition in family practice non-attenders living in the community: A cross-sectional study from Slovenia

Effectiveness of Nutritional Intervention Led by Clinical Dietitian in Patients at Risk of Malnutrition at the Primary Healthcare Level in Slovenia - Evaluation Study

Introduction

Clinical dietitians play a crucial role in the nutritional support of patients at risk of malnutrition in primary care settings. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of an individualized nutritional intervention on clinically relevant outcomes for patients with chronic disease at nutritional risk.

Methods

A longitudinal evaluation study was conducted in two Slovenian primary health centres. We used pre-test and post-test design. Patients with chronic disease were screened using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and additional risk factors (≥70 years and BMI <22 kg/m2; lower food intake in the last five days). Patients at nutritional risk were referred to a clinical dietitian for individual nutritional intervention. The effect of the nutritional intervention was assessed six months after the patients' first visit with a clinical dietitian.

Results

The sample included 94 patients. Nutritional risk was reduced significantly in high-risk and moderate-risk patients. In a subgroup of patients with a MUST score ≥1 (77 patients), body weight, BMI, Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI), energy intake, and protein intake increased significantly (p<0.001). At the same time, the phase angle significantly increased (p<0.001), but there were no statistically significant changes in the improvement of grip strength. In a subgroup of patients with MUST score 0 (17 patients), we observed an increase in their median daily energy intake (p<0.001) and median protein intake (p=0.003).

Conclusion

Nutritional intervention delivered by a clinical dietitian improved patients' nutritional intake and nutritional and functional status.

Fall Risk in Adult Family Practice Non-Attenders: A Cross-Sectional Study from Slovenia

Introduction

Not much is known about the fall risk among the adult population of those who rarely visit doctors. We wanted to determine the prevalence of increased fall risk in a population of family practice non-attenders and the factors associated with it.

Methods

We included participants from family medicine practices in this cross-sectional study. To be included in the study, the participants had to be adults living in the community (home-dwelling people) who had not visited their chosen family physician in the last five years (non-attenders). The identification of the eligible persons was done through a search of electronic medical records, which yield 2,025 non-attenders. Community nurses collected data in the participants’ homes. The outcome measure was increased fall risk as assessed by the Morse fall scale: increased risk (≥25) vs. no risk.

Results

The sample consisted of 1,945 patients (96.0% response rate) with a mean age of 60.4 years (range 20.5 to 99.7 years). An increased fall risk was determined in 482 or 24.8% (95% CI: [22.9, 26.8]) of the patients. The multivariate model showed a significant association of increased fall risk with higher age (p<0.001), lower systolic blood pressure (p=0.047), poor family function (p=0.016), increased risk of malnutrition (p=0.013), higher number of chronic diseases (p=0.027), higher pain intensity (p<0.001), lower self-assessment of current health (p=0.002), and higher dependence in daily activities (p<0.001).

Conclusion

Non-attenders may have an increased risk of falling which depends on their health status and age. The inclusion of community nurses in primary healthcare teams could be of use not only to identify the non-attenders’ health needs, but also to better manage their health, especially the factors that were identified to be associated with greater fall risk.

Health management of malnourished elderly in primary health care: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study, as the first review directed at Primary Health Care, is to identify the screening practices and health outcomes related to the care provided by Family Health Teams to the malnourished elderly people/population.

METHODS

Following PRISMA and PICO strategies, searches were conducted in four electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus & EMBASE) on observational, qualitative, quantitative, or mixed studies, written in Portuguese, Spanish and English language, with participants of 65 years old or older at a community setting. The literature selected for this study ranges from the period 2011 to 2021; additional articles were included through reference lists.

RESULTS

From the 483 studies identified, 16 were considered eligible to use in this work. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score appears as the main criteria of choice, however, a standardized practice in the health systems regarding the use of screening methods has not been demonstrated. Studies are more oriented towards the analysis of the relationship of mortality/morbidity and malnutrition than towards the relationship of the cost and quality of life and malnutrition of the elderly.

DISCUSSION

Malnutrition is one of the modifiable risk factors which contributes to the vulnerable condition of the elderly, with serious effects, especially when related to other comorbidities. Yet, several authors argue that the Primary Health Care intervention can minimize the negative impacts and improve the health outcomes.

Factors that determine dependence in daily activities: A cross-sectional study of family practice non-attenders from Slovenia

Background

Independence in daily activities is defined as the ability to perform functions related to daily living, i.e. the capacity of living independently in the community with little or no help from others.

Objective

We focused on non-attenders as a subgroup of patients whose health status is not well known to family practice teams. Our goal was to estimate the prevalence of dependence and its severity level in the daily activities of patients, and to determine the factors that are associated with the occurrence of dependence.

Design

Cross-sectional observational study.

Settings and participants

Data was obtained in family medicine settings. Participants in the study were adults living in the community (aged 18 or over) who had not visited their chosen family physician in the last 5 years (non-attenders) and who were able to participate in the study. Through the electronic system, we identified 2,025 non-attenders. Community nurses collected data in the participants’ homes. The outcome measure was dependence in daily activities, assessed through eight items: personal hygiene; eating and drinking; mobility; dressing and undressing; urination and defecation; continence; avoiding hazards in the environment; and communication.

Results

The final sample consisted of 1,999 patients (98.7% response rate). The mean age was 59.9 (range 20 to 99). Dependence in daily activities was determined in 466 or 23.3% (95% CI: [21.5, 25.2]) of the patients. Older patients (over 60 years), with at least one chronic disease, increased risk of falling, moderate feelings of loneliness and a lower self-assessment of health were statistically significantly more likely to be dependent in their daily activities, according to our multivariate model.

Conclusions

A considerable proportion of family practice non-attenders were found to be dependent in daily activities, though at a low level. We identified several factors associated with this dependence. This could help to identify people at risk of being dependent in daily activities in the general adult population, and enable specific interventions that would improve their health status.