None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study will try to identify and prioritise causes of poor intake in a representative older medical inpatient population. Approximately three hundred consecutive patients aged 65 years and over admitted to the general medical units at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital will be studied. Information on potential causes of poor intake (identified from the literature and through expert clinical consultation) including poor appetite, swallowing difficulties, delirium, depression, dietary limitations, and need for feeding assistance will be collected on day 3 and 7 of the hospital stay. On each of these days, dietary intake will be determined. Standard statistical modelling techniques will be used to identify which factors predict poor (<60% recommended) intake, after adjusting for important confounders such as age, sex and burden of illness. These results will be supplemented by detailed interviews with a smaller selection of patients and their carers in order to ensure the patients experience is adequately represented in the research.
Interventions
Not applicable - Observational study (measure nutritional intake and numerous suspected risk factors on day 3 and 7 of admission to hospital). Total study duration: 4 months.
Sponsors
Alison Mudge
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
65 years or older Admitted to Internal Medicine study wards Expected length of stay >3 days
Exclusion criteria
Palliative or terminal intent of admission Expected length of stay <3 days Transferred to another hospital ward/ treating team
Outcome results
None listed