The staffs’ knowledge, experiences and motivation are likely to be important and so is an adaptation to each unit’s context to achieve positive changes in nutritional practice. How do study circles (SCs) and policy documents (PD) affect nutritional interventions for persons with moderate or high risk for undernutrition (UN-risk) in special accommodations (SAs)?
All SAs within six municipalities were involved. UN-risk was defined as the occurrence of at least two of; involuntary weight loss, Body Mass Index below limit (<20 if /=70 yrs) and/or presence of eating difficulties. In year 2005 and 2007 it was 361 (27%) out of 1337 and 322 (35%) out of 920 persons respectively that were at UN-risk and included in this study. Interventions: In 18 of the departments 39 SCs were implemented, involving 8 staff each, in total 315 persons. Each group met for 3 occasions (3 hours each time) to discuss eating and nutrition based on a manual (www.vardalinstitutet.net/scn). The SCs did not focus on the above definition of UN-risk. In four other SAs a PD was politically anchored. No intervention was implemented in the other SAs.
SCs and PD increased the precision in provided nutritional actions significantly for persons at UN-risk.
The precision (percent) in the provision of nutritional actions.
Intervention
Year 2005
Year 2007
P-value
No intervention
n=229, 86 y
n=202, 87 y
E-food
10
11
.875
Food supplement
31
29
.751
Eating assistance
65
67
.611
Study circles
n=92, 87 y
n=82, 87 y
16
32
.012 *
24
39
.045 *
69
.870
Policy document
n=40, 86 y
n=38, 85 y
5
.023 *
52
53
.999
72
68
.805
y = mean age in years, * = significant increase in provision (p<0.05), E-food = Energy Enriched
Both study circles and policy documents improves the precision in the provision of correct nutritional actions for those at moderate or high risk for undernutrition. It is likely that a combination of study circles and policy documents can improve the precision of provision of nutritional actions even more.