| 1. |
- Fex, Angelika, 1955-
(författare)
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From novice towards self-care expert : studies of self-care among persons using advanced medical technology at home
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The use of advanced medical technology at home has increased in most industrialized countries. The overall aim of this thesis was to develop knowledge of self-care and transition and issues that influence daily life and health among persons using advanced medical technology at home.Three qualitative studies were performed to describe the structure of self-care (I) and elucidate meanings of health-illness transition experiences among persons using long-term oxygen, or a ventila-tor, or performing blood or peritoneal dialysis (II), and to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of living with an adult family member in this context (III). Ten interviews with adult patients (I-II) and ten with adult next of kin (III) in this context were performed and analysed with descriptive phenome-nological (I), phenomenological hermeneutical (II) and hermeneutical (III) methods. A quantitative, descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional design was used to describe and find factors that influence self-care agency and perceived health in a larger group of persons (180 patients) using the enumerated types of advanced medical technology at home (IV).In the results, (I) self-care among persons using long-term oxygen, a ventilator, or equipment for blood or peritoneal dialysis at home was described at a generic level, independent of the specific type of technology used. The general description of self-care in this context involved prerequisites for, activities for and consequences of self-care; (II) the health-illness transition among adult persons in this context was interpreted as contentment at being part of the active and conscious process towards transcending into a new state of living, in which the individual and the technology were in tune. The successful and healthy transition experience was characterized by human growth and becoming; (III) living with a family member who is using advanced medical technology at home was interpreted as meaning rhythmical patterns of being closely connected to but also separated from him or her, and of sorrow versus reconciliation. Dependence on others was reflected in a need for support from the healthcare professionals and significant others; (IV) health-related and technology-related variables in daily life were rated as satisfactory to quite a high extent, but participants using long-term oxygen perceived their health as significantly lower compared to the other technology groups. Further, a significant difference in sense of coherence was found between users of long-term oxygen and peri-toneal dialysis. Factors that contributed to self-care agency and sense of coherence were found.In conclusion, self-care in a high-tech home context means more than simply mastering the technology. With the goal of maintaining an active, social life, the health-illness transition involves a learning process of accepting and integrating the technology into daily life. With knowledge and support, patients and next of kin are able to assume substantial responsibility for self-care/dependent-care. Daily life seems to be manageable for patients using this kind of technology at home.
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| 2. |
- Källman, Ulrika, 1968-
(författare)
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Evaluation of Repositioning in Pressure Ulcer Prevention
- 2015
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction: To reduce the risk for pressure ulcers, repositioning of immobile patients is an important standard nursing practice. However, knowledge on how this preventive intervention is carried out among elderly immobile patients is limited and to what extent patients perform minor movements between nursing staff-induced repositionings is largely unknown, but these movements might have implications for the repositioning intervention. Different lying positions are used in repositioning schedules, but there is lack of evidence to recommend specific positions.Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to describe and evaluate how repositioning procedures work in practice in the care of elderly immobile patients. The aim was also to compare the effects of different positions with regard to interface pressure, skin temperature, and tissue blood flow in elderly patients lying on a pressure-redistribution mattress.Methods: This thesis consists of four quantitative studies. In Study I, 62 elderly immobile patients were included. All movements the patients made, either with help from the nursing staff or spontaneously, were registered continuously over the course of three days. Study II served to pilot the procedure for Study III. Tissue blood flow and skin temperature were measured in hospital patients (n = 20) for 5 minutes in two supine, two semi-Fowler, and two lateral positions. In Study III, a new sample was recruited (n = 25) from three nursing homes. Measurement of interface pressure was added, and the measurements were extended from 5 minutes to 1 hour. The six positions were reduced to four by excluding the two semi-Fowler positions. Blood flow was measured using photopletysmography (Study II-IV) and laser Doppler flowmetry (Studies III and IV). In Study IV a deeper analysis of the individual pressure-induced vasodilation (PIV) responses was performed on the sample from Study III. An age of 65 years or older was an inclusion criterion in all studies.Results: Study I showed that there was a large variation in the extent to which the elderly immobile patients made spontaneous movements, and these movements were positively related to taking analgesics and negatively related to taking psycholeptics. Patients scored as high risk for pressure ulcer development were repositioned more frequently than patients scored as low risk. However, the spontaneous movement frequency was not associated with any risk scores. Study II showed that the different lying positions influenced the blood flow in different ways. In Study III, it was found that the overall blood flow response during one hour of loading was significantly higher in the 30° supine tilt position than in the 0° supine, 30° lateral, and 90° lateral positions. The overall blood flow in the 90° lateral position did not differ compared to the 30° lateral position, although the interface pressure was significant higher in the 90° lateral position. In patients lacking a PIV response (Study IV), the blood flow decreased immediately and remained below baseline during the one hour of loading.Conclusions: Although elderly and immobilized, some patients frequently perform minor movements while others do not. Patients who cannot perform minor movements are important for the nursing staff to identify because they very likely need more intensive repositioning interventions. The spontaneous movement frequency was not associated with the risk assessment score, and this implies that some immobile patients assessed as low risk might need to be repositioned as often as patients assessed as high risk. Of the positions evaluated, the 30° supine tilt position was concluded to be most beneficial. There was no great difference in how the blood flow was affected in the 90° lateral position compared to the 30° lateral position, which question the appropriateness of the recommendation to avoid the 90° lateral position. The patients with lacking a PIV response might be particularly vulnerable to pressure, which also implies that these patients might need to be repositioned more frequently.
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| 3. |
- Wåhlin, Ingrid, 1955-
(författare)
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The circle of strength and power : Experiences of empowerment in intensive care
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Patients and next of kin in intensive care often experience powerlessness, anxiety and distress and intensive care staff are repeatedly exposed to traumatic situations and demanding events. Empowerment has been described as a process of overcoming a sense of powerlessness and a model through which people may develop a sense of inner strength through connections with others. The aim of this thesis was to describe empowerment as experienced by patients, next of kin and staff in intensive care and to compare patient's experiences with staff and next of kin beliefs. Empowerment is reflected in this thesis as experiences of inner strength and power and of participation/self-determination.The study was based on open-ended interviews with 11 patients, 12 next of kin and 12 staff members from two intensive care units in southern Sweden. A phenomenological perspective was applied in three studies, while a qualitative content analysis was used in the forth study.Findings showed that nourishing relationships were of crucial importance, and contributed to every participant's experiences of empowerment regardless of whether he/she was an intensive care patient, a next of kin or a staff member. Patients were found to be strengthened and empowered by a positive environment where their own inherent joy of life and will to fight was stimulated, where they felt safe and a sense of value and motivation were encouraged and where they were taken seriously and listened to. Next of kin were extremely important to patients' experiences of safety, value, human warmth and motivation, and patients were strengthened when their next of kin were acknowledge and welcomed by staff.Next of kin in intensive care were strengthened and empowered by a caring atmosphere in which they received continuous, straightforward and honest information that left room for some hope and in which closeness to the patient was facilitated and medical care was experienced as the best possible. Some informants were also empowered by family support and/or participation in caring for the patient. Intensive care staff were empowered by both internal processes such as feelings of doing good, increased self-esteem/self-confidence and increased knowledge and skills, and by external processes such as nourishing meetings, excitement and challenge, well functioning teamwork and good atmosphere.When comparing patient experiences with staff and next of kin beliefs, there was agreement regarding joy of life and will to fight being essential to patients' experiences of inner strength and power, but staff and next of kin seemed to see this as a more constant individual viewpoint or characteristic than the patient did. Next of kin, and especially staff, seemed to regard the patient as more unconscious and unable to participate in the communication and interaction process than the patient him/herself experienced. A mutual and friendly relationship was experienced by the patients as highly empowering, while a more professional relationship was emphasized by the staff. These findings could serve as a basis for reflection about patient, next of kin and staff experiences of strength and power and if empowerment is seen as a dimension in quality of care, the findings from this thesis ought to be taken into consideration to increase the quality of care in intensive care.
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| 4. |
- Hallberg, Inger, 1956-
(författare)
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Health-Related Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporotic Fractures
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: The global burden of osteoporosis includes considerable numbers of fractures, morbidity, mortality and expenses, due mainly to vertebral, hip and forearm fractures. Underdiagnosis and undertreatment are common. Several studies have shown decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after osteoporotic fracture, but there is a lack of data from long-term follow-up studies, particularly regarding vertebral fractures, which are often overlooked despite patients reporting symptoms.Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate the usefulness of a recent low-energy fracture as index event in a case-finding strategy for osteoporosis and to describe and analyse long-term HRQOL in postmenopausal women with osteoporotic fracture. The specific aims were to describe bone mineral density and risk factors in women 55-75 years of age with a recent low-energy fracture (I), estimate the impact of osteoporotic fractures on HRQOL in women three months and two years after a forearm, proximal humerus, vertebral or hip fracture (II), investigate the changes and long-term impact of vertebral or hip fracture on HRQOL in women prospectively between two and seven years after the inclusion fracture (III), and describe how HRQOL and daily life had been affected in women with vertebral fracture several years after diagnosis (IV).Design and methods: Data were collected from southern Sweden between 1998 and 2008. A total of 303 women were included in Study I, and this group served as the basis for Studies II (n=303), III (n=67), and IV (n=10). A cross-sectional observational, case-control design (I), and a prospective longitudinal observational design (II-III) were used. In Study IV a qualitative inductive approach with interviews was used and data were analysed using a qualitative conventional content analysis.Results: The type of recent fracture and number of previous fractures are important information for finding the most osteoporotic women in terms of severity (I). Hip and vertebral fractures in particular have a significantly larger impact on HRQOL evaluated using the SF-36 than do humerus and forearm fractures, both during the three months after fracture and two years later, compared between the different fracture groups and the reference population (II). Women who had a vertebral fracture as inclusion fracture had remaining pronounced reduction of HRQOL at seven years. At the mean age of 75.5 years (±4.6 SD), the prevalence of vertebral fracture suggests more negative long-term impact on HRQOL, more severe osteoporosis and a poorer prognosis than a hip fracture does, and this effect may have been underestimated in the past (III). Study IV demonstrates that the women’s HRQOL and daily life have been strongly affected by the long-term impact of the vertebral fracture several years after diagnosis. The women strive to maintain their independence by trying to manage different types of symptoms and consequences in different ways.Conclusions and implications: Type and number of fractures should be taken into account in the case-finding strategy for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women between 55 and 75 years of age. The long-term reduction of HRQOL in postmenopausal women (age span 55-75 yr) with vertebral fracture emerged clearly, compared to women with other types of osteoporotic fractures and references in this thesis. The results ought to be taken into consideration when developing guidelines for more effective fracture prevention and treatment, including non-pharmacological intervention for women with osteoporotic fractures, with highest priority placed on vertebral fractures and multiple fractures, to increase or maintain HRQOL.
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| 5. |
- Johansson, Yvonne, 1956-
(författare)
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Self-Perceived Health and Nutritional Status among Home-Living Older People : A Prospective Study
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim was to follow the development of nutritional status and its significance for general health status using an epiemiologic method in a representative population‐based selection of older individuals in two cohorts. The main focus was to prospectively examine the significance of demographic, social and medical factors and to establish a basis to investigate the possibilities of preventive measures.Methods: Five hundred and eighty‐three individuals (278 women and 305 men), 75 and 80 years old, when included, living in a municipality in Östergötland in Sweden, participated in this study. Data collection took place 2001‐2006 with one examination yearly. The examination included a single question regarding self‐perceived health demographical questions, different questionnaires in the areas of nutritional status, symptoms of depression, cognitive function, health‐related quality of life and well being and objective assessments such as anthropometrical, physical and biochemical measurements.Results: Fifty percent of the women (I) and 58% of the men (II) perceived themselves as healthy. Important factors for women’s health (I) at baseline were no or few symptoms of depression, better physical mobility and better physical health. Among men who perceived themselves as healthy (II) at baseline, important factors were better physical health, maintaining a social network and the ability to walk outdoors. After one year 69% of the women and 75% of the men still perceived themselves as healthy. Among those women (I) who perceived themselves as healthy after one year, better physical mobility and better physical health were still important, with the addition of less or no pain. Important predictors for preserving health among men (II) were no symptoms of depression and the ability to walk up and down stairs. The prevalence of risk for malnutrition (III) was 14.5% (n=84), among women 18.8% and men 10.6%. Risk factors for malnutrition at baseline were a lower TSF, lower handgrip strength and worse physical health according to the PGC MAI. The incidence was 7.6%‐16.2%, and was distributed equally among women and men over time. Predictors for developing malnutrition were lower self‐perceived health, increased number of symptoms of depression. Especially men with symptoms of depression ran a higher risk. Reported energy intake (IV) was low in relation to the estimated requirement, on average 74% among women and 67% among men. Intake of vitamins A, D, E and folate was below the recommended intake and the same pattern was found over time. A smaller weight loss was found among women and men from baseline to Follow‐up 2.Conclusions: The experience of a good physical health was the only common factor for a good self‐perceived health among women and men. The highest risk for developing malnutrition was a combination of impaired self‐perceived health and increased number of symptoms of depression.Clinical implications: A combination of nutritional status, self‐perceived health and symptoms of depression can be a base for clinical judgement and can be used by different professionals in ealth and medical care and in home care service.
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| 6. |
- Wambui, Theresah
(författare)
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Perceptions of family planning and sexually transmitted infections among low-income men in Western Kenya
- 2012
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Family planning has long been practiced in Kenya. Despite this, however, the country has had a high yearly increase rate of inhabitants. Family planning and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are stressed in the Millennium Development Goals by WHO, and are challenging issues worldwide. Many interventions and studies concerning reproductive and sexual health have traditionally focused on women. Therefore, there is an increasing request for a focus on men in studies of these issues. Men in Kenya have rarely been involved in either receiving or providing information on sexuality, reproductive health, birth spacing or prevention of STIs.The aims in these studies were to describe perceptions/cognizance of family planning and STIs among low-income men in western Kenya. It is important to gain more understanding of men’s perceptions in these issues, as they are often the decision-makers in countries where poverty and gender inequities are barriers to promoting sexual health. A qualitative method was used, and was carried out by means of focus groups interviews. Sixty four men (15-54 years of age, 8 in each group) were interviewed. The data were analyzed by means of manifest content analysis. The findings were presented according to major themes and categories regarding family planning and STIs, respectively. The themes regarding family planning were: Family planning views and reasons; Methods of contraception; Children out of wedlock; Views on family planning programmes; and Policy on male contraception. The categories regarding STIs were: Consciousness of STIs; Risk of and prevention of STIs; and Marital relationship and STIs.The studies demonstrated that men in western Kenya had poor, and sometimes misguided, knowledge of family planning and STIs. Attitudes and cultural beliefs were strongly connected to practice. The findings stress that preventive sexual and reproductive health care should provide services that meet men’s need for information and participation, aiming to increase awareness of sexual health and reduce the gap between knowing and practicing.
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| 7. |
- Bergstrand, Sara, 1978-
(författare)
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Preventing pressure ulcers by assessment of the microcirculation in tissue exposed to pressure
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to combine optical methods into a system with the ability to simultaneously measure blood flow changes at different tissue depths. The goal of such a system was to reveal vascular mechanisms relevant to pressure ulcer etiology under clinically relevant conditions and in relation to the evaluation of pressure-redistribution support surfaces.This thesis consists of four quantitative, cross-sectional studies measuring blood flow responses before, during, and after pressure exposure of the sacral tissue. Two optical methods – photoplethysmography and laser Doppler flowmetry – were combined in a newly developed system that has the ability to discriminate blood flows at different tissue depths. Studies I and II explored blood flow responses at different depths in 17 individuals. In Study I the blood flow was related to tissue thickness and tissue compression during pressure exposure of ≥ 220 mmHg. In Study II, the sacral tissue was loaded with 37.5 mmHg and 50.0 mmHg, and the variation in blood flow was measured. Studies III and IV included 42 healthy individuals < 65 years, 38 healthy individuals ≥ 65 years, and 35 patients ≥ 65 years. Study III included between-subject comparisons of blood flow and pressure between individuals in the three study groups lying in supine positions on a standard hospital mattress. Study IV added within-subject comparisons while the individual was lying on four different types of mattress. The studies explored the vascular phenomena pressure-induced vasodilation (PIV) and reactive hyperemia (RH).The most common blood flow response to tissue exposure in this thesis was PIV, although a decrease in blood flow (a lack of PIV) was observed in some individuals. The patients tended to have higher interface pressure during pressure exposure than the healthy groups but no differences in blood flow responses were seen. Our results showed that pressure levels that are normally considered to be harmless could have a significant effect on the microcirculation in different tissue structures. Differences in individual blood flow responses in terms of PIV and RH were seen, and a larger proportion of individuals lacked these responses in the deeper tissue structures compared to more superficial tissue structures.This thesis identified PIV and RH that are important vascular mechanisms for pressure ulcer development and revealed for the first time that PIV and RH are present at different depths under clinically relevant conditions. The thesis also identified a population of individuals not previously identified who lack both PIV and RH and seem to be particularly vulnerable to pressure exposure. Further, this thesis has added a new perspective to the microcirculation in pressure ulcer etiology in terms of blood flow regulation and endothelial function that are anchored in clinically relevant studies. Finally, the evaluation of pressureredistribution support surfaces in terms of mean blood flow during and after tissue exposure was shown to be unfeasible, but the assessment of PIV and RH could provide a new possibility for measuring individual physiological responses that are known to be related to pressure ulcer development.
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| 8. |
- Bergstrand, Sara, 1978-
(författare)
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Tissue Blood Flow Responses to External Pressure Using LDF and PPG : Testing a System Developed for Pressure Ulcer Research
- 2009
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Pressure ulcers are a problem for immobile individuals, and having pressure ulcers impact and restrict the daily and are often associated with pain. Pressure ulcers occur frequently and cause high costs for the health care system. The prevention of pressure ulcers by focussing on different mattresses and overlays aimed to reduce the interface pressure or the pressure exposure of the tissue. The problem is the poor evaluation of this type of equipment. There are important factors regarding pressure ulcer development, pressure, shear, temperature and humidity. People are affected by external pressure in different ways and therefore it is preferable to measure the effect of pressure as a complement to the pressure measurement and thus we consider blood flow measurements to be a suitable method.Aims: The aim of Study I, the first part in this thesis was to investigate the existence of sacral tissue blood flow at different depths in response to external pressure in elderly individuals as a part of evaluation of a. newly developed system. The aim of Study II, the second part was to evaluate a multiparametric system combining LDF and photoplethysmography into a single probe, for the simultaneous measurement of blood flow at different depths in the sacral tissue when the tissue is exposed to external load. This new system will be used to facilitate the understanding of pressure ulcer formation.Methods: To be able to observe tissue blood flow, the non-invasive optical methods laser Doppler flowmetry and photoplethysmography were used. In this thesis a newly developed prototype probe was used, combining the two methods. Green light and infrared light were used in the PPG instrument for penetrating the depths of approximately 2 mm, 8 mm and 20 mm depths. A HeNe laser was used to measure the superficial skin blood flow, <1 mm depth. The prototype probe, made of silicone was fixed in a stiff 10×10 cm plate.Seventeen active individuals over the age of 60 were recruited for the two studies. In Study I, the subject´s sacral blood flow and tissue thickness (using ultrasound) were measured in unloaded position and in supine position loading the area with their own body weight. In Study II, the sacral area was provoked with external load at 37.5 mmHg and 50.0 mmHg and the relative change in blood flow at different depths was observed before, during and after load.Results: Study I showed that the sacral tissue in elderly individuals is highly affected by load and is compressed by 60.3 ± 11.9%. The mean sacral tissue thickness was 26 ± 13 mm in unloaded tissue and 10 ± 6 mm in loaded tissue. Correlations were found between BMI and tissue thickness: both TTunload r=0.68 (p=0.003) and TTload r=0.68 (p=0.003). Almost all subjects had affected blood flow superficially but only occasionally deeper in the tissue and findings may indicate that the blood flow is occluded in the superficial layer before it is occluded deeper in the tissue structure. The most common response in Study II was an increase in blood flow while loading. In those occasions when the blood flow decreased, it was mostly affected at the skin surface and the reactive hyperaemia occurred more frequently in the superficial tissue structures. The blood flow responses may be different in the different tissue layers.Conclusions: The newly developed system was found to be suitable for measuring tissue blood flow at different depths; however the prototype probe had some limitations that will be solved in the further development of the system into a thin flexible probe with ability to measure a larger area.
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| 9. |
- Söderhamn, Ulrika, 1952-
(författare)
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Nutritional Screening of Older Patients : Developing, Testing and Using the Nutritional Form For the Elderly (NUFFE)
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to develop, test and use a simple, clinically useful instrument for the nutritional screening of older patients. Four studies were performed, with a quantitative approach, in a geriatric rehabilitation ward in western Sweden. The number of patients who par-ticipated was: 56 (I), 114 (II), 147 (III) and 144 (IV) older patients.A nutritional screening instrument, the Nutritional Form For the Elderly (NUFFE), was constructed (I) and tested regarding reliability and validity (I, II). NUFFE was used in a screening, and the screening results were related to the patients’ perceived health and compared to the nurses’ nutritional notes in the nursing documentation (III). The screened patients’ self-care ability and sense of coherence (SOC) were investigated and the patients’ perceived health was related to selfcare ability and SOC (IV). The collection of data was done through interviews with the instruments NUFFE (I-IV), the Selfcare Ability Scale for the Elderly (SASE) (IV), Antonovsky’s SOC scale (IV), a question about perceived health, healthrelated ques-tions (III, IV) and background variables (I-IV). Weight and height were measured (I-III). The nurses’ nutritional notes in the nursing documentation were collected (III).The screening instrument contains 15 threepoint items on ordinal level. The total score ranges between zero and 30 and a higher score indicates higher risk for undernutrition. Evidence of reliability and validity was shown (I, II). The determined cut-off points of NUFFE for identification of patients at low, medium and high risk for undernutrition were set to scores of <6, ≥6 and ≥13 (III). The screening results showed that 31% of the patients were identified to be at low risk for undernutrition, 55% at medium risk and 14% at high risk. When the screening results were compared to nurses’ nutritional notes in the nursing documentation, it was shown that important nutritional issues were absent in many patient records (III). The patients at high risk were more likely to perceive ill health than were those at low risk for undernutrition (p=0.03) (III). Those at medium or high risk were more likely to perceive ill health (p=0.014) and to have lower self-care ability (p<0.001) and weaker SOC (p=0.007) than were those at low risk for undernutrition. To perceive good health was associated with higher self-care ability (p<0.001) and stronger SOC (p<0.001). Lower self-care ability, being single and having been admitted from another hospital ward were three obtained predictors for being at medium or high risk for undernutrition (IV).In conclusion, NUFFE is a simple, useful screening instrument for identification of older nutritional at-risk patients. The instrument has sufficient evidence of reliability and validity. Using NUFFE in a screening of older patients, the prevalence of patients at medium or high risk for undernutrition was found to be high. Nurses’ nutritional notes showed deficiencies, indicating that all medium or high risk patients were not identified. Using NUFFE, associations were found between older patients’ nutritional risk and their perceived health, and their self-care ability and SOC, respectively. These associations indicate that being at low risk for undernutrition is concomitant with perceived good health, higher self-care ability and stronger SOC. Conversely, being at medium or high risk for undernutrition is concomitant with perceived ill health, lower self-care ability and weaker SOC.
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| 10. |
- Wikby, Kerstin, 1953-
(författare)
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Nutritional Intervention in Elderly People Admitted to Resident Homes
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim was to investigate the effects of an intervention, based on education given to staff and implementation of an individualized nutritional programme given to the residents, to compare assessments on admission with a previous study, and to perform diagnostic test and inter-rater reliability of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). A further aim was to identify and describe factors with regard to appetite among the residents.Upon admission, and after a four month intervention period, residents were classified as being either protein energy malnourished (PEM), or not, based on anthropometry and biochemical measurements. On both occasions, the Activity Index and the Mini Mental State Examination were used. In order to identify individuals in need of nutritional care, the MNA was performed. Information about medical data was obtained. A total of 127 residents were consecutively admitted to eight resident homes in a municipality in Sweden. Three resident homes constituted the experimental unit (n = 68) and five the control unit (n = 59). Fifteen residents were interviewed using a qualitative method, to investigate what affects their appetite.On admission 32 % of the residents were classified as PEM, which was similar to in the previous study. A higher frequency of residents in the present study had severe medical diseases and cognitive impairment, compared with the previous study, indicating changed admission criteria in the present study.Between the experimental and the control groups, no differences were seen in any specific anthropometric or biochemical variable. Within the groups, statistically significant differences were seen, as the number of PEM residents in the experimental group decreased, and motor activity and overall cognitive function improved. In the control group, motor activity deteriorated. This indicates that the intervention improved nutritional status and functional capacity in the residents.Diagnostic sensitivity was 73 % regarding MNA versus PEM, and 89 % regarding MNA short form (MNA-SF) versus MNA, which indicates a rather high degree of sensitivity in both tests. Inter-rater reliability of MNA, carried out by simultaneous assessments by registered nurses and researcher showed a moderate agreement of 62 % (kappa 0.41).The interview study showed that the willingness to eat was what affected the residents´ appetite. The willingness to eat contains internal factors, dependent on mood and personal values, as well as external factors, dependent on wholesomeness, food, eating environment and meal fellowship. When planning and realizing residents´ nutritional care, factors affecting the residents´ appetite have to be taken into consideration.In conclusion, the results show that it is important to implement and develop strategies for individual nutritional care, in order to prevent and treat malnutrition in elderly people, which is in line with recommendations given by the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN) and with the Swedish goal of nursing actions.
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