Risk för undernäring bland äldre personer på särskilt boende

: relation med fallrisk, trycksår och nedsatt munhälsa samt kartläggning av erbjudna preventiva åtgärder mot undernäring

Abstract

Background: Undernutrition occurs in up to 30 % of older people in special accommodation (SA). It is one of the district nurse's responsibility areas to maintain good nutritional care. Purpose: The purpose was to investigate the prevalence of undernutrition among older people (65 years and older) in special accommodation and relationships between undernutrition and fall risk, risk of pressure ulcers and impaired oral health. A further aim was to investigate the preventive measures district nurse’s offered to prevent alternatively treat undernutrition in older people. Method: The study had a quantitative approach. The number of study participants was 436 people who lived in SA. Group comparisons were made between three independent groups (not at risk of undernutrition, risk of undernutrition and undernourished) regarding fall risk, risk of pressure ulcers and impaired oral health. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between risk of undernutrition/undernourished and fall risk, risk of pressure ulcers and impaired oral health. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the preventive and treatment measures. Results: Undernutrition relate strongly to the risk of pressure ulcers. No relationship was detected between undernutrition and risk of falling and impaired oral health. Preventive measures was used to a low extent. Conclusion: Nutritional care is a complex area that requires that the district nurse work in a multidisciplinary team with risk assessments, investigations, actions and follow up. Nutritional measures should be offered to a greater extent to persons at risk of undernutrition or with manifest undernutrition.