- Title
- A Qualitative Study Supporting Optimal Nutrition in Advanced Liver Disease—Unlocking the Potential for Improvement
- Creator
- Ludlow, Shaye; Farragher, Katherine; Squires, Kelly; Heaney, Susan; Orman, Jessica; Pullen, Sarah; Attia, John; Wynne, Katie
- Relation
- Nutrients Vol. 16, Issue 15, no. 2403
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu16152403
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2024
- Description
- Malnutrition rates in Advanced Liver Disease (ALD) are significantly higher than those in well-compensated liver disease. In addition to its physiological impact, malnutrition is detrimental for quality of life and social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Studies within oncology and renal supportive care have identified the influence of non-physiological factors on malnutrition risk. Integrating similar factors into malnutrition screening for ALD could improve identification of at-risk patients to optimize treatment planning. This qualitative study aimed to understand the holistic factors influencing nutritional status in the ALD population. Semi-structured interviews with 21 patients, carers, and clinicians explored the experiences of malnutrition in ALD. Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: (i) appropriateness of healthcare delivery; (ii) health- and food-related factors; (iii) high symptom burden, (iv) social support impacting well-being, and (v) physical and structural supports. Current screening methods do not adequately capture all potential drivers of malnutrition in the ALD population. Adopting a more supportive approach including both physiological and non-physiological factors in ALD malnutrition screening may promote more timely and comprehensive nutritional interventions that address the complex and holistic needs of patients living with ALD.
- Subject
- liver disease; malnutrition; quality of life; social support; supportive care; palliative care; SDG 2; Sustainable Development Goal
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1513533
- Identifier
- uon:56736
- Identifier
- ISSN:2072-6643
- Rights
- © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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