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Self-care ability and sense of coherence in older nutritional at-risk patients

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 96–103 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate self-care ability and sense of coherence in geriatric rehabilitation patients nutritionally screened using the Nutritional Form For the Elderly and to relate the patients' perceived health to self-care ability and sense of coherence.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

A geriatric rehabilitation ward in a hospital in western Sweden.

Subjects:

A sample of 172 consecutively recruited patients (65+ years) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. One hundred forty-four patients were included in the study because 16 patients refused to take part and 12 could not complete the entire data collection procedure.

Methods:

Interviews, using one instrument for nutritional screening and other instruments measuring self-care ability and sense of coherence and one question about perceived health, were performed.

Results:

Patients at medium or high risk for undernutrition had lower self-care ability (P<0.001) and weaker sense of coherence (P=0.007) than patients at low risk for undernutrition. Lower self-care ability, being single and admitted from another hospital ward was found to be predictors for being at medium or high risk for undernutrition. Patients who perceived good health had higher self-care ability (P<0.001) and stronger sense of coherence (P<0.001) than patients who perceived ill health.

Conclusions:

There is an indication that older patients at low risk for undernutrition have a greater capability to care for themselves than patients at medium or high risk for undernutrition. Perceived ill health in older patients is associated with lower self-care ability and weaker sense of coherence.

Sponsorship:

Supported by grants from The Research and Development Council Fyrbodal, Trollhättan; The Lions Research Foundation, Linköping, Sweden.

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Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to the patients and staff at the ward where the study was carried out. We thank Ms Judith Rinker, who revised the English. The study was supported by grants from The Research and Development Council Fyrbodal, Trollhättan, Sweden, and The Lions Research Foundation, Linköping, Sweden.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Norra Älvsborgs Länssjukhus, Trollhättan, Sweden

    U Söderhamn

  2. Division of Nursing Science, Department of Medicine and Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

    U Söderhamn, M Bachrach-Lindström & A-C Ek

  3. Agder University College, Faculty of Health and Sport, Arendal, Norway

    U Söderhamn

Authors
  1. U Söderhamn
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  2. M Bachrach-Lindström
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  3. A-C Ek
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to U Söderhamn.

Additional information

Guarantor: U Söderhamn. Contributors:All authors contributed to the study design. US performed the data collection and outlined the first data analyses and the paper drafting. All authors were engaged in the final data analyses and paper writing.

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Söderhamn, U., Bachrach-Lindström, M. & Ek, AC. Self-care ability and sense of coherence in older nutritional at-risk patients. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 96–103 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602691

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602691

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