RESUMEN
PURPOSE: Few studies have quantitatively investigated potential relationships between quality of life (QOL) in long term care (LTC) and foodservices. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if dining experiences, and food and nutritional services affect elderly nursing home residents' QOL. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 395 residents in 38 nursing homes participated in this cross-sectional study. MEASUREMENTS: Information on dining experiences and QOL was gathered by face-to-face interviews with cognitively intact residents; primary institutional caregivers completed a questionnaire for cognitively impaired residents. Additional data were also obtained from participants' medical charts and from administrators and foodservice managers. Multivariate ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to determine which institutional characteristics were related to QOL. RESULTS: Number of dining companions, autonomy in relation to food, tray meal delivery service, and ratio of residents per resident assistant were significantly related to QOL in both cognitively intact and cognitively impaired residents. For cognitively intact residents, number of medical conditions, therapeutic menus, and use of china dishes were also related to QOL. For cognitively impaired residents, independence with eating and frequency of menu revision were also related to QOL. CONCLUSION: Modifying certain aspects of food and nutritional services, as well as residents' dining experience, may improve QOL of elderly LTC residents.
Asunto(s)
Servicios de Alimentación/normas , Cuidados a Largo Plazo/normas , Casas de Salud/normas , Calidad de la Atención de Salud , Calidad de Vida , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Trastornos del Conocimiento , Estudios Transversales , Recolección de Datos , Femenino , Humanos , Análisis de los Mínimos Cuadrados , Masculino , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
The only known treatment for celiac disease is lifelong avoidance of dietary gluten. For many sufferers from celiac disease, this may be difficult to achieve. The purpose of this study was to analyse dietary habits and related problems of adults afflicted with celiac disease. A questionnaire was mailed to 617 current and former members of the Quebec Celiac Foundation to document health, dietary habits, sources of celiac disease treatment information, daily concerns, and level of difficulty in complying with a gluten-free diet. The final sample size was 234 (75% female). Results indicated that over 35% of participants experienced intestinal discomfort at least twice a week. In addition, 66% felt that their consumption of grain products was insufficient. Only 44% said they had received from dietitians a large quantity of information about celiac disease treatment, and only 57% had a high level of confidence in the information received from dietitians. Thirty-six percent reported difficulty in complying with the gluten-free diet. According to a probit analysis, larger region of residence (p<0.02) and concern about preparing meals (p<0.005) were directly related to difficulty in complying, while older age (p<0.05), satisfaction with gluten-free products (p<0.01), and a high level of confidence in treatment information from gastroenterologists and dietitians (p<0.005) were inversely associated with compliance difficulty. Awareness of these results should encourage dietitians to improve their skills in treating celiac disease.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad Celíaca/dietoterapia , Conducta Alimentaria , Glútenes/administración & dosificación , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Cooperación del Paciente , Quebec , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
This exploratory study uses Andersen's service utilization model to examine the relationship between the leisure activity patterns of older people and their knowledge and use of health and social services. Hierarchical stepwise multiple regression analyses of data from 418 people ages 65 and older in rural Qu/ebec revealed that leisure activity patterns may explain a greater amount of variation in service knowledge and use than conventional need characteristics such as physical and psychological health. Various activity patterns were significantly related to knowledge and use of services even after controlling for variables such as age and health status. Although some types of leisure activities appeared to augment knowledge and use of services, others seemed to deter it. Future explanatory models of service utilization among the elderly should be expanded to include leisure activity patterns.
Asunto(s)
Actividades Recreativas , Servicios de Salud Rural/estadística & datos numéricos , Apoyo Social , Anciano , Femenino , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , Masculino , Quebec , Análisis de Regresión , Población Rural , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
In the last several years, a host of studies have shown a relationship between life change and deterioration in health status. This relationship, however, appears to be modest, and investigators have recently become interested in the coping resources, or buffers, that enable some individuals to encounter significant life change with little or no apparent negative changes in their health. Using samples consisting largely of young and middle-aged persons, studies have shown that the presence of a confidant, social network involvement, marital status, feelings of esteem and confidence, occupational status, and income can act as buffers against the potentially stressful effects of life change. The present study examines the extent to which these factors serve as coping resources for a sample of elderly individuals. With the exception of income, the results suggest that not only do these variables fail to serve as buffers against life change for the aged, but some of them appear to function as coping inhibitors, operating to exacerbate the deleterious consequences of life change.