Sodium dietary restriction, knowledge, beliefs, and decision-making behavior of older females

PURPOSE

The purposes of this qualitative/descriptive study were to (a) explore experiences and decision-making behaviors associated with adoption of a sodium-restricted diet (SRD) among older women with hypertension or heart failure and (b) identify healthcare system and contextual factors that facilitate or impede adherence to SRD.

DATA SOURCES

Participants were 33 single older women, aged 65-98 years, residing in three congregate living facilities in the high-risk "coronary valley" area of the United States. A semistructured interview format was employed with three focus groups. The audio-taped transcribed data were content analyzed for themes by the researchers with the assistance of ATLAS.Ti computer software.

CONCLUSIONS

Predominant themes were lack of SRD education by healthcare providers, a desire for more information about sodium, including the use of alternative herbal seasonings, and large-print informational materials. Eating alone with no motivation to cook and share meals was a contextual barrier to healthy nutrition.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

To prevent costly hospitalizations and rehospitalization from nonadherence to SRD, clinicians need to provide more structured SRD education supplemented with printed brochures. Exploring the client's nutritional social setting may improve SRD adherence.

Dietary-related profile of older persons in the Chinese community: an exploratory study

BACKGROUND

Nutrition plays an important role throughout the life span. It is the interaction of nutrition and health that form part of the aging process. Nutrition affects the maintenance of physiological and biological process of aging, also, the risk of development of acute and chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

To examine dietary related behaviors and lifestyle factors among non-institutionalized older persons in a local Chinese community.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

It was a cross-sectional qualitative descriptive design. A convenience sample of 36 older persons (mean +/- SD age, 75 +/- 7.8 years) in a community center were approached and invited to complete a questionnaire regarding their dietary-related profile and the self-perceived nutritional and health status.

RESULTS

Results showed that 40% (n=14) of the older persons lived alone and ate alone on a regular basis, taking few fruit and vegetables per day, inadequate fluid and no dairy or bean curd products, and 48% (n=17) were overweight or obese. The self-perceived nutritional status correlated directly with perceived health status, which was high.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The clinical relevance of this study is highlighted by the far from optimal dietary behaviors among this group of older persons. Nurses and health care providers working in the community should provide education on healthy diet and nutrition-related health problems, especially to older persons, for health maintenance and disease prevention.

Tailoring Nutrition Education Intervention Programs to Meet Needs and Interests of Older Adults

Methods for determining appropriate content of older adult nutrition education intervention programs and strategies for effectively delivering nutrition messages to older learners are presented. Educators can determine the nutrition education needs and interests of their older learners by using results of food intake surveys and assessment screening tools, written surveys, interviews and group discussions. Findings of recent reports using these methods are summarized. Additionally, published experiences with and suggestions for tailoring education intervention programs for older adult audiences, including those of particular racial/ethnic groups, are reviewed. The need for research in this area is presented. This article is one of a series of literature reviews of topics related to nutrition education for older adults.