The Effect of Nutritional Status on Quality of Life in Palliative Care Patients

Abstract

One of the most important problems of palliative care patients is that patients cannot be fed sufficiently. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effect of nutrition on quality of life in palliative care patients. A total of 216 patients who were hospitalized for palliative care interviewed face-to-face during the period between October 2018 and May 2019 and their nutritional status was determined. Mini Nutritional Assessment test was applied to patients at the same time quality of life questionnaire short form 36 test. A total of 216 patients (132 (61.1%) female, 84 (38.9%) male) were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 77.01 ± 13.0 years, the mean body mass index was 24.15 ± 5.41 kg/m2, and the mean value of Mini Nutritional Assessment was 14.20 ± 7.01. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to their nutritional status. In groups of patients with palliative care according to their nutritional status, 3 groups were compared with the sub-dimension scores of the quality of life scale short form 36, and the physical function, physical role limitation, energy/vitality, emotional health, and perception of general health. Malnutrition is frequently observed in palliative care patients. Malnutrition affects the quality of life negatively. During palliative care, whose aim is to improve the quality of life, the nutritional status of patients should be evaluated and patients should be given nutritional supplements when necessary.