Clinical Interventions to Improve Nutritional Care in Older Adults and Patients in Primary Healthcare – A Scoping Review of Current Practices of Health Care Practitioners

Abstract

Sonja Lindner-Rabl,1 Valentina Wagner,1 Andreas Matijevic,1 Carolin Herzog,1 Christina Lampl,1 Julia Traub,2 Regina Roller-Wirnsberger1 1Medical University of Graz, Department of Internal Medicine, Research Unit for Aging and Old Age Medicine, Graz, Austria; 2University Hospital Graz, Department of Clinical Medical Nutrition, Graz, AustriaCorrespondence: Regina Roller-WirnsbergerMedical University of Graz, Department of Internal Medicine, Research Unit for Aging and Old Age Medicine, Auenbruggerplatz 15, Graz, 8036, AustriaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [email protected]: In light of the increasing life expectancy of Europe’s population and the rising significance of active and healthy ageing relating thereto, an integrated approach of nutritional care within primary health care is gaining importance. The aim of the review was to summarize evidence on the effectiveness of nutritional interventions in primary health care. The scoping review is based upon a comprehensive literature search of relevant literature published between January 2010 and August 2021 in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase and Medline databases. Overall, 15 studies were included for evidence synthesis and interventions were basically clustered according to their type, into 1) eHealth and tele-medical interventions; 2) targeted single interventions; and 3) comprehensive, multi-faceted interventions. The review presents diverging evidence regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions for nutritional care in primary health care, however, demonstrates encouraging outcomes. eHealth and tele-medical interventions partly show a careful positive tendency. Likewise, manifold single interventions on patient level present significant improvements in patient health outcomes. Multifaceted and comprehensive interventions found in the literature also partly demonstrate significant changes in intervention groups. Primary health care represents a critical setting for the care of older citizens and patients with complex health needs. This scoping review provides an overview of current nutrition care practices in primary health care and results reinforce the need to strengthen implementation of multi-faceted interventions carried out by the inter-disciplinary primary care team for advanced nutritional care.Keywords: malnutrition, older people, nutritional care, primary care

Keywords

• malnutrition
• older people
• nutritional care
• primary care