Living alone, receiving help, helplessness, and inactivity are strongly related to risk of undernutrition among older home-dwelling people

Solveig T Tomstad1, Ulrika Söderhamn2, Geir Arild Espnes3, Olle Söderhamn21Department of Social Work and Health Science, Faculty of Sciences and Technology Management, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway and Centre for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, Norway; 2Centre for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, Norway; 3Research Centre for Health Promotion and Resources HiST-NTNU, Department of Social Work and Health Science, Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management, NTNU, Trondheim, NorwayBackground: Being at risk of und…

Helsepersonells erfaringer og tanker om bruk av frivillige i palliativ omsorg

Health care personnel’s experiences and thoughts on the use of volunteers in palliative care in a social perspectiveThe government of Norway is planning for the municipalities’ health care resources, including volunteering. The purpose of this study was to shed light on the experiences and thoughts of a group of health care personnel on the use of volunteers in palliative care in the community health care services, and to discuss the findings in a social perspective. Individual interviews were conducted with seven nurses and three nursing assistants. Using a qualitative content analysis three categories emerged: "The importance of organization, clarification and responsibility," "Qualificat…

Evaluation of ethical reflections in community healthcare: a mixed-methods study.

Background: Ethical reflections over care practices are important. In order to be able to perform such reflections, healthcare professionals must learn to think critically about their care practice. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an introduction to and practice in ethical reflections in community healthcare have consequences for the healthcare personnel’s practice. Research design: A mixed-methods design was adopted with five focus group interviews and an electronic questionnaire based on results from the interviews. Participants and research context: A total of 29 community healthcare personnel with experience in ethical reflections participated in the interviews. The e…

Psychometric properties of Antonovsky's 29-item Sense of Coherence scale in research on older home-dwelling Norwegians.

Aim: The aim of this study was to test the homogeneity and construct validity of the Sense of Coherence 29-item scale (SOC-29) among older home-dwelling Norwegians. Methods: A postal questionnaire, consisting of background variables, five health-related questions, the SOC-29, and three other instruments measuring mental health, self-care ability, and risk for undernutrition, was sent to 6033 home-dwelling older people (65+ years) in southern Norway. A total of 2069 participants were included. Homogeneity was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and item-to-total correlations. The construct validity was assessed with “the known-groups technique,” a linear stepwise regression analysis …

To be a trained and supported volunteer in palliative care – a phenomenological study

Background: It has been found that including volunteers in palliative care is a positive contribution to seriously ill patients. It is, however, recommended that the volunteers are trained and supported. The aim of this study was to describe a group of trained and supported volunteers’ lived experiences as volunteers in palliative care within the community health care services. Methods: This study adopted a descriptive phenomenological approach featuring individual interviews with nine volunteers. The interviews were analysed using the descriptive phenomenological research method according to Giorgi. Results: Being a volunteer in palliative care was both a positive and meaningful experience…

Lived experiences of self-care among older, home-dwelling individuals identified to be at risk of undernutrition

Solveig T Tomstad,1,2 Ulrika Söderhamn,2 Geir Arild Espnes,3 Olle Söderhamn21Department of Social Work and Health Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; 2Centre for Caring Research – Southern Norway, University of Agder, Grimstad, Norway; 3Research Centre for Health Promotion and Resources HiST-NTNU, Department of Social Work and Health Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwayIntroduction: In a society where most older people live in their own homes, it may be expected of older individuals to exercise their potential to take care of themselves in daily life. Nutrition is a central aspect of se…

Tools to identify nutritional risk for older people in the home

Author's version of an article in the journal: British Journal of Community Nursing. Community nurses are in an ideal position to identify older home-dwelling people at nutritional risk and thereby to prevent undernutrition. The aim of this paper is to present some nutritional screening instruments for older home-dwelling people and to discuss nutritional issues of importance for community nurses in order to assess nutritional risk and prevent undernutrition. The screening instruments Nutritional Form For the Elderly (NUFFE) and Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) are especially developed for screening older people. The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) is recommended for screening…

What matters to older adults? Exploring person‐centred care during and after transitions between hospital and home

Aims and objectives To explore person-centred care provided to a group of older adults (65+) by understanding their experiences of care received, their participation in care and what matters to them during and after the transition process between hospital and home. Background Although facilitating person-centred care (PCC) has gained increasing importance globally over the last few decades, its practical implementation has been challenging. This has caused difficulties in determining its core elements and best practices. Person-centred care aims to deliver healthcare services based on individuals' preferences. Several approaches have been developed to better implement person-centred care pr…

Dementia, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and the use of psychotropic drugs among older people who receive domiciliary care: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACTBackground:The objective of this study was to (a) determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment, dementia, and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) among home-dwelling people, 70 years and older (70+ years), who receive domiciliary care, and (b) describe their use of psychotropic drugs. Few studies have investigated dementia among people receiving in-home care.Methods:A sample (N = 1,000) representative of people aged 70+ years receiving domiciliary care was randomly recruited for participation. A standardized interview with the participants and their next of kin were performed using well-established assessment scales. Two clinical experts independently diagnosed dementia according t…

Design and psychometric testing of instruments to measure qualified intensive care nurses’ attitudes toward obese intensive care patients

The purpose of this pilot study was to design and test research instruments to measure qualified intensive care nurses' implicit and explicit attitudes and behavioral intentions toward obese intensive care patients. In previous studies researchers have demonstrated that some health professionals hold negative attitudes toward obese patients; however, little is known about qualified intensive care nurses' attitudes toward these patients. Our cross-sectional pilot study involved Implicit Association Tests, the Anti-fat Attitude questionnaire, an explicit bias scale comprising ratings of explicit beliefs and feelings, assessment of behavioral intentions based on vignettes, and demographic ques…

Advancing beyond the system: telemedicine nurses' clinical reasoning using a computerised decision support system for patients with COPD - an ethnographic study.

Abstract Background Telemedicine is changing traditional nursing care, and entails nurses performing advanced and complex care within a new clinical environment, and monitoring patients at a distance. Telemedicine practice requires complex disease management, advocating that the nurses’ reasoning and decision-making processes are supported. Computerised decision support systems are being used increasingly to assist reasoning and decision-making in different situations. However, little research has focused on the clinical reasoning of nurses using a computerised decision support system in a telemedicine setting. Therefore, the objective of the study is to explore the process of telemedicine …

Perceived health and risk of undernutrition: a comparison of different nutritional screening results in older patients

Artikkelen rapporterer en studie hvor hensikten var a sammenligne screeningsresultater ved bruk av ulike ernaeringsscreeninginstrumenter hos eldre pasienter i institusjon.

The meaning of actualization of self-care resources among a group of older home-dwelling people—A hermeneutic study

Self-care is an activity of mature persons who have developed their abilities to take care of themselves. Individuals can choose to actualize their self-care abilities into self-care activities to maintain, restore, or improve health and well-being. It is of importance to understand the meaning of the actualization of self-care resources among older people. The aim of this study was to investigate the meaning of the actualization of self-care resources, i.e., actions taken to improve, maintain, or restore health and well-being, among a group of older home-dwelling individuals with a high sense of coherence. The design of this study was to reanalyse narratives revealing self-care activities …

Pårørendes erfaringer med bruk av frivillige ved alvorlig sykdom i hjemmet

Next-of-kins’ experiences when using volunteers for palliative patients living at home The aim of this study was to illuminate next-of-kins’ experiences when using volunteers supplementing community health care services for palliative patients living at home. The study has a qualitative approach. Nine individual interviews were conducted with next of kin from a municipality in Southern Norway. Use of volunteers for palliative care in the home was a relief for next-of-kin, especially prominent for families who had limited social network. Planned volunteering resulted in the best results. Use of volunteer was also found helpful for families as they were given a "breathing space" and a certain…

Norwegian version of the Nutritional Form for the Elderly: sufficient psychometric properties for performing institutional screening of elderly patients.

The objective of this study was to test if the Norwegian version of the nutritional screening instrument entitled Nutritional Form for the Elderly (NUFFE-NO) demonstrates sufficient evidence of reliability and validity, including sensitivity and specificity, when applied to a select group of elderly hospital patients. The hypothesis was that NUFFE-NO has sufficient psychometric properties to be used as a screening instrument. The model used for the testing procedure was designed to test reliability (homogeneity and stability) and validity (criterion-related, concurrent validity, and construct validity) including sensitivity and specificity in a cross-sectional study. One-hundred fifty-eight…

Feriereise kan ha positiv innvirkning på pasienter med demenslidelse

Published version of an article in the journal: Vård i Norden Aim. To gain knowledge about how a holiday trip to Spain with adapted cultural activities may affect a group of patients with dementia disorder. Background. With the increasing number of people suffering from dementia, it will be important to focus on activities that may affect well-beeing in this group. Method. A focus group interview was conducted with six healthcare workers, who participated in a trip to Spain together with six patients suffering from dementia. A qualitative content analysis was used. Findings. The findings were interpreted in one main theme: Close follow-up in unfamiliar environment and participation in adapt…

Intensive care nurses’ experiences of caring for obese intensive care patients: A hermeneutic study

Aim and objectives To obtain a deeper understanding of qualified intensive care nurses’ experiences of caring for obese patients in intensive care. Background Admission of obese patients with complex health care needs to intensive care units is increasing. Caring for obese critically ill patients can be challenging and demanding for the intensive care nurse because of the patients’ weight, critical situation, and physical challenges. There is a gap in knowledge at present about qualified intensive care nurses’ experiences of caring for obese patients in intensive care units. Design A qualitative hermeneutic approach. Method The study took place in 2016 at intensive care units of two differe…

P-365: Nutritional screening of patients at a memory clinic – association between patients’ and their relatives’ self-reports

Translation and testing of the Risk Assessment Pressure Ulcer Sore scale used among residents in Norwegian nursing homes.

Published version of an article in the journal: BMJ Open. Also available from the publisher at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001575 Open access Objective. The purpose of this study was to translate and test the psychometric properties of the Norwegian-language version of the Risk Assessment Pressure Sore scale. Background. Risk assessment scales for pressure ulcer prevention have become an aspect of quality improvement in healthcare, but their effectiveness depends on the reliability and validity of the scale. Methods. A convenience sample of 481 residents in 15 nursing homes in rural Norway was included between January and June 2007. The English-language version of the Risk Asses…

Attending an activity center: positive experiences of a group of home-dwelling persons with early-stage dementia

Ulrika Söderhamn,1 Live Aasgaard,2 Bjørg Landmark2,3 1Centre for Caring Research Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, 2Institute of Research and Development for Nursing and Care Services, Municipality of Drammen, 3Faculty of Health, Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Drammen, Norway Background: In Norway, there is a focus on home-dwelling people with dementia receiving the opportunity to participate in organized meaningful activities. The aim of this study was to elucidate the experiences of home-dwelling persons with early-stage dementia who attend an activity center and participate in adapted phy…

Unlocking the limitations: Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and receiving care through telemedicine-A phenomenological study

Aims and objectives To describe the lived experiences of quality of life among a group of patients living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were included in a telemedical intervention after hospitalisation for disease exacerbation. Background Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have high symptom burden, poor control of symptoms and a need for greater requirements in care. Telemedicine can provide benefits for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by improving self-management. Design Descriptive phenomenological approach. Methods Ten in-depth interviews were conducted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients participating in a telemedical…

Participation in physical and social activities among home-dwelling persons with dementia - experiences of next of kin

Ulrika Söderhamn,1 Bjørg Landmark,2,3 Sissel Eriksen,2 Olle Söderhamn11Center for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, 2Institute of Research and Development for Nursing and Care Services, Municipality of Drammen, Drammen, 3Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud University College, Drammen, NorwayIntroduction: To be next of kin to a home-dwelling person with dementia is known to be a heavy burden, especially early in the process. Studies have revealed a need for information and support during the disease process. Likewise, there is support for the positive impacts of physical and social a…

A sense of belonging: A meta-ethnography of the experience of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease receiving care through telemedicine.

To synthesize the qualitative research in the literature addressing how patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease experience care received by telemedicine.Meta-ethnography.Twelve studies, published from 2013 - 2018, were identified by a search of relevant systematic databases in June 2017, including updated searches performed in June 2018.The studies were reviewed and critically appraised independently by three researchers. The review followed the seven steps of meta-ethnography developed by Noblit and Hare, including a line-of-argument synthesis.The synthesis revealed three second-order constructs: presence, transparency, and ambivalence. Using a line-of-argument synthesis, a mod…

Nutritional self-care in two older Norwegian males: a case study

Solveig T Tomstad,1,2 Ulrika Söderhamn,2 Geir Arild Espnes,1,3 Olle Söderhamn21Department of Social Work and Health Science, Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, 2Centre for Caring Research-Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, 3Research Centre for Health Promotion and Resources, Department of Social Work and Health Science, Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwayBackground: Knowledge about how to support nutritional self-care in the vulnerable elderly living in their own …

Life situation and identity among single older home-living people: A phenomenologicalhermeneutic study

Being able to continue living in their own home as long as possible is the general preference for many older people, and this is also in line with the public policy in the Nordic countries. The aim of this study was to elucidate the meaning of self-care and health for perception of life situation and identity among single-living older individuals in rural areas in southern Norway. Eleven older persons with a mean age of 78 years were interviewed and encouraged to narrate their self-care and health experiences. The interviews were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutic method inspired by the philosophy of Ricoeur. The findings are presented as a n…

Self-care ability among home-dwelling older people in rural areas in southern Norway

Results: A total of 780 persons were found to have higher self-care ability and 240 to have lower self-care ability using the Self-care Ability Scale for the Elderly. Self-care ability was found to be closely related to health-related issues, self-care agency, sense of coherence, nutritional state and mental health, former profession, and type of dwelling. Predictors for high self-care ability were to have higher self-care agency, not receiving family help, having low risk for undernutrition, not perceiving helplessness, being able to prepare food, being active and having lower age. Conclusions: When self-care ability is reduced in older people, caregivers have to be aware about how this ca…

Who often feels lonely? A cross-sectional study about loneliness and its related factors among older home-dwelling people.

Aim and objectives To investigate the prevalence of individuals who often feel lonely among a sample of Norwegian older home-dwelling people aged ≥65 years old, as well as to identify any possible factors explaining their loneliness. Background Loneliness is known to be common among older people. To identify those older adults who are lonely, and to acquire knowledge about the complexity of their loneliness, is important to provide them with adequate help and support. Design This study employed a cross-sectional design. Method A questionnaire was mailed to a randomised sample of 6,033 older home-dwelling persons aged ≥65 years. A total of 2,052 persons returned the questionnaire and were in…

Experiences of using the ISBAR tool after an intervention: A focus group study among critical care nurses and anaesthesiologists.

Objective The ISBAR tool is a structured approach to communication between healthcare professionals and refers to Identity, Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. The objective of this study was to explore how critical care nurses and anaesthesiologists experience using the ISBAR tool in clinical practice. Design Three focus groups were conducted with a total of three anaesthesiologists and 14 critical care nurses from two hospitals in Norway after they had attended an intervention. Setting The intervention consisted of two days at a university, with a four-month interval between, attending resource lectures and simulation exercises focusing on the ISBAR tool. The focus grou…

Narrated lived experiences of self-care and health among rural-living older persons with a strong sense of coherence.

Ulrika Söderhamn, Bjørg Dale, Olle SöderhamnFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Centre for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Grimstad, NorwayAbstract: Sense of coherence (SOC), with its components comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness, is a major factor in the ability to cope successfully with stressors and is closely related to health. Qualitative studies related to SOC are scarce, and in this phenomenological interview study, self-care is investigated in relation to SOC. The aim of this study was to describe the lived experiences of self-care and features that may influence health and self-care among older home-…

Loneliness Among Older Home-Dwelling Persons: A Challenge for Home Care Nurses.

Solveig Tomstad, Kari Sundsli, Hans Inge Sævareid, Ulrika Söderhamn Centre for Caring Research, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, NorwayCorrespondence: Solveig TomstadFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, 4604, NorwayEmail solveig.t.tomstad@uia.noAim: To explore how nurses working in the home care service sector perceived the loneliness experienced by older people living at home, and how they met these lonely individuals’ needs.Background: Loneliness is a well-known phenomenon among groups of older home-dwelling people and has been shown to be a health-related problem. Health care professional…

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Nutritional Form For the Elderly.

AbstractObjectiveThe present study aimed to translate the English version of the Nutritional Form For the Elderly into Simplified Chinese, as well as to test the reliability (homogeneity and stability) and validity (content and construct validity) of the Chinese version of the Nutritional Form For the Elderly (NUFFE-CHI).DesignThe study adopted a cross-sectional design. The English version of the NUFFE was translated into Simplified Chinese and a questionnaire survey was conducted. The data were analysed with statistical methods to estimate the homogeneity, stability, content and construct validity.SettingJinzhou City, China.SubjectsA total number of 701 community-dwelling older adults answ…

Reflections on communication of disease prognosis and life expectancy by patients with colorectal cancer undergoing palliative care: a qualitative study.

ObjectivesPatients with colorectal cancer undergoing palliative treatment receive extensive treatment-related information throughout their disease trajectory. We aimed to explore the experiences of patients with incurable colorectal cancer while in palliative care and their reflections on the information provided by physicians and nurses. Our main focus was the patients’ thoughts about how information about disease status and life expectancy was communicated, from the first time that they were informed about the incurable nature of their disease through to postsurgery palliative treatment.SettingsPatients with colorectal cancer receiving palliative chemotherapy.Research designWe used a qual…

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the nutritional form for the elderly (NUFFE) in nursing home residents

Background: The Nutritional Form for the Elderly (NUFFE) is a newly developed tool. This study aimed to carry out a psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of NUFFE (NUFFE-P) among nursing home residents. Methods: Nursing home participant’s aged ≥ 60 years (n=97) were enrolled. The inclusion criteria were residency for at least 6 months in the nursing home, and ability to communicate. Exclusion criteria included cognitive impairment, having depressed mood, severe hearing loss, problems in upper and lower extremities also, history of hospital admission during 6 months before enrollment. Anthropometric measures, laboratory tests, three-day food intake, NUFFE-P version, Mini Nutritional…

Factors associated with nutritional risk in 75-year-old community living people

Aim.  To identify risk factors for being at nutritional risk, by means of a nutritional screening, in a population based sample of 75-year-old people living in three county councils in Sweden. Back ...

Sense of coherence and health among home-dwelling older people.

Sense of coherence (SOC) is important for maintaining health. The aim of this study was to investigate if the SOC experience among home-dwelling physically active older people differs from that of hospital patients with the same age and sex. Data were collected with questionnaires and structured interviews containing Antonovsky’s SOC scale in an age- and sex-matched study group (n=160). Non-parametric statistical analyses were performed. No differences were found in SOC between home-dwelling individuals and patients. Ninety-five percent of the home-dwelling individuals perceived themselves as being in good health and 42.5% among the patients (p<0.001). SOC and disease were predictors fo…

Volunteering in dementia care – a Norwegian phenomenological study

Ulrika Söderhamn1, Bjørg Landmark2,3, Live Aasgaard2, Hilde Eide3, Olle Söderhamn11Center for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, Norway; 2Institute of Research and Development for Nursing and Care Services, Municipality of Drammen, Drammen, Norway; 3Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud University College, Drammen, NorwayIntroduction: The number of people suffering from dementia will increase dramatically in the future, and this will be a great challenge and concern for health care services. It is assumed that volunteers will strengthen community health care services more in the future…

Ability for self-care in urban living older people in southern Norway

- Published article -cc-by-nc Background: The number of older people living in urban environments throughout the world will increase in the coming years. There is a trend in most European countries towards improved health among older people, and increased life expectancy for both women and men. Norway has experienced less increase in life expectancy than some other European countries, and it is therefore important to investigate older urban Norwegian people’s health and ways of living in a self-care environment, with special regard to health promotion. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe self-care ability among home-dwelling older (65+ years) individuals living in urban areas in sout…

A successful way for performing nutritional nursing assessment in older patients

Aim.  The aim of this study was to obtain increased knowledge and understanding about what can be promoting and facilitating for nurses to perform nutritional nursing assessment in older patients. Background.  The frequency of older patients at nutritional risk or suffering from undernutrition is high in hospitals. Studies have shown frequent lack of awareness about signs of undernutrition as all patients are, for example, not weighed. Nurses’ descriptions about nutritional problems have also been found to be often vague and unspecific. Design.  A qualitative design was used. Methods.  Ten conveniently chosen registered nurses, working with older patients in two hospitals in western Sweden …

Nutritional screening of older home-dwelling Norwegians: a comparison between two instruments.

Ulrika Söderhamn, Bjørg Dale, Kari Sundsli, Olle SöderhamnCentre for Caring Research-Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, NorwayBackground: It is important to obtain knowledge about the prevalence of nutritional risk and associated factors among older home-dwelling people in order to be able to meet nutritional challenges in this group in the future and to plan appropriate interventions. The aim of this survey was to investigate the prevalence of home-dwelling older people at nutritional risk and to identify associated factors using two different nutritional screening instruments as self-report instruments.Methods…

Nutritional form for the elderly is a reliable and valid instrument for the determination of undernutrition risk, and it is associated with health-related quality of life.

Undernutrition is a common problem associated with clinical complications such as impaired immune response, reduced muscle strength, impaired wound healing, and susceptibility to infections; therefore, it is an important treatment target to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with chronic diseases and aging. The aim of the present study was to apply a reliable and valid instrument for the determination of undernutrition risk in an in-hospital patient population and to describe possible associations between risk of undernutrition and some aspects of health-related quality of life in patients with chronic diseases. Fifty-six adult patients with different chronic diseases were interviewe…

Perceived stress and depression amongst older stroke patients: Sense of coherence as a mediator?

Abstract Objective This study aimed to explore the relationship between perceived stress, sense of coherence, and depression among older stroke patients. Methods A demographic questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were distributed to 3000 older stroke patients from Neurology wards in six large general hospitals, and 2907 individuals completed the survey. Data analysis consisted of correlation, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling. Results The total score of the SOC and perceived stress showed a negative correlation (r = −0.80, P ＜ 0.01), the total SOC of co…

Nutritional self-care among a group of older home-living people in rural Southern Norway

Bjørg Dale, Ulrika SöderhamnCentre for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, NorwayBackground: Older home-living people are an at-risk group for undernutrition, particularly those who are living alone. Lack of knowledge about healthy dietary habits, altered taste sensation, and declined health status are shown to be some of the factors related to undernutrition. The aims of this study were to explore how a small group of older people in Southern Norway perceived their nutritional self-care.Methods: An exploratory qualitative approach, combined with a simple self-report questionnaire, was used. Fi…

Psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) among older people living at home

Bjørg Dale, Ulrika Söderhamn, Olle SöderhamnCentre for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, NorwayIntroduction: The incidence and prevalence of mental problems among older people are difficult to map because the causes are often complex and the symptoms manifest in a range of ways. Therefore, there is a need for robust and useful instruments for screening mental problems in this group. One instrument used in Norway and around the world is the 30-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30). Nevertheless, studies testing reliability and validity of the Norwegian version are …

Testing and comparing two self-care-related instruments among older Chinese adults

Objectives The study aimed to test and compare the reliability and validity, including sensitivity and specificity of the two self-care-related instruments, the Self-care Ability Scale for the Elderly (SASE), and the Appraisal of Self-care Agency Scale-Revised (ASAS-R), among older adults in the Chinese context. Methods A cross-sectional design was used to conduct this study. The sample consisted of 1152 older adults. Data were collected by a questionnaire including the Chinese version of SASE (SASE-CHI), the Chinese version of ASAS-R (ASAS-R-CHI) and the Exercise of Self-Care Agency scale (ESCA). Homogeneity and stability, content, construct and concurrent validity, and sensitivity and spe…

Intensive care nurses’ implicit and explicit attitudes and their behavioural intentions towards obese intensive care patients

To examine qualified intensive care nurses' implicit and explicit attitudes towards obese intensive care patients and whether their attitudes are associated with their behavioural intentions towards these patients.Obese intensive care patients may experience more stress than do normal-weight patients. Intensive care nurses' attitudes and the way they address their care are thus vital. Despite a range of studies revealing that health professionals hold anti-fat attitudes towards obese patients, there is a lack of knowledge about intensive care nurses' implicit and explicit attitudes and if such attitudes are associated with behavioural intention.A cross-sectional survey.From November 2017 - …

Psychometric testing of the Norwegian version of the Nutritional Form For the Elderly among older home-dwelling people

Ulrika Söderhamn, Bjørg Dale, Kari Sundsli, Solveig T Tomstad, Olle SöderhamnCenter for Caring Research, Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, NorwayBackground: Nutritional screening instruments need to be evaluated in terms of reliability and validity and being able to demonstrate sensitivity and specificity for use in clinical practice and research. The aims of this study were to test the reliability and validity of the Norwegian version of the Nutritional Form For the Elderly (NUFFE-NO) in a sample of older home-dwelling people, and to use the short form of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF) as a standard.…

Exploring the experiences of being an ethnic minority student within undergraduate nurse education: a qualitative study

Abstract Background Students studying in a country where another language is spoken face multiple challenges including their ability to fully integrate with peers and academic pressures in trying to obtain an undergraduate nursing degree. The aim of the study was to explore the lived experiences of students, from varying cultural and ethnic backgrounds, undertaking an undergraduate nursing degree. Methods The study adopted a qualitative design and eight individual semi-structured interviews were conducted. The interviews were analysed using manifest content analysis according to Graneheim and Lundman. Results Students reported feelings of isolation and the lack of opportunities to integrate…

Facilitating holistic continuity of care for older patients: Home care nurses' experiences using checklists.

Aims and objectives To explore home care nurses' experiences of implementation and use of checklists developed for improving continuity of care for older patients (65+ years). Background The Norwegian Coordination Reform was implemented to improve coordination between hospitals and communities and facilitate a quicker return to home community after hospital discharge. To follow-up, national learning networks were initialised to improve pathways for chronically ill older patients, including the development and use of standardised checklists. Design An explorative qualitative design was chosen. Methods Three focus group interviews were conducted, including 18 registered nurses from eight muni…

Self-care telephone talks as a health-promotion intervention in urban home-living persons 75+ years of age: a randomized controlled study

- Published article -cc-by-nc Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a telephone-based self-care intervention among urban living individuals 75+ years of age by comparing self-reported perceived health, mental health, sense of coherence, self-care ability, and self-care agency before and after the intervention. Materials and methods: In a randomized controlled study, 15 persons answered a questionnaire about perceived health, mental health, sense of coherence, self-care ability, and self-care agency. In a sex- and age-matched control group (n=15), the same questions were answered. Data were collected before and after intervention. An open-ended question about experiences …

Nutritional screening of patients at a memory clinic--association between patients' and their relatives' self-reports.

Aims and objectives To compare individual reports by patients and relatives (proxy) of the Nutritional Form For the Elderly and relate the Nutritional Form For the Elderly scores to Mini Mental Status Examination scores, weight loss, Body Mass Index, five-point Clock Drawing Test and background variables. Background Undernutrition or risk of undernutrition is a significant problem among people with dementia. A poor nutritional state increases the risk of infections, delayed convalescence after acute illness and reduced quality of life. Design A cross-sectional study. Method Application of the Nutritional Form For the Elderly in addition to clinical nutrition parameters and cognitive tests i…