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conferenceseries
.com
Volume 8
J Community Med Health Educ, an open access journal
ISSN: 2161-0711
Public Health 2018
February 26-28, 2018
PUBLIC HEALTH AND NUTRITION
3
rd
World Congress on
February 26-28, 2018 London, UK
NUTRITION SUPPORT AT THE END OF LIFE: THE CORRELATION BETWEEN FOOD
SENSORYAND POOR ORAL INTAKE AMONG HOSPICE PATIENTS
Audrey Lim Soo Yen
a
, Soh Wan Keem
b
and
Tan Yew Seng
c
a
SingHealth Residency, Singapore
b
Bright Vision Hospital, Singapore
c
OncoCare Cancer Centre, Singapore
T
he preferences for food is determined by sensory evaluation of taste, smell, appearance, texture, hearing and perceived
characteristics from food memories, and they actively influence patients’ choices before, during and after meal times.
It is widely known that oral intake nearing the end of life is challenging due to many reasons. However, there is limited data
patients’ preference for food and fluid of hospice patients in Singapore.
Aim
:The aimof this study is to explore hospice patient’s preference regarding their diet by investigating their sensory evaluation.
Method
: A qualitative semi-structured interview was conducted on 11 Chinese patients admitted to the hospice ward of
Bright Vision Hospital on their subjective food preferences based on their sensory evaluation. All the participants reported
loss of appetite, poor oral intake (of ½ share or less of a standard 1500-calorie meal plan per day) were assessed to have cancer-
associated malnourishment (based on physical examination of the temporalis muscles, orbital area and clavicle bone). Patients
selected are cognitively intact with an AMT score of 7/10 and physically fit to be interviewed for 20 minutes. This study did
not include patients of other ethnic groups as majority of the patients are of Chinese ethnicity and the hospital serves mainly
Chinese meals. India/ Malay could not be adequately represented in this study. The original recordings were analyzed by two
researchers independently.
Results:
Table 1. Food Preference
Four main food preferences were observed, namely, cold drinks, flavour enhancer, high heat cooking and social environment.
Preferred Examples
Cold beverages
Coca cola, Soya bean drink, Plain Milo©, juice
Thinner consistency
Juice-based supplements available at retail shops Conclusion
Conclusion:
As patients are better able to tolerate fluids, rather than solid food, serving cold beverages, of preferred choice and
in small amount, may continue to provide the nutrition support towards the end of life. Further research would be helpful to
ascertain if providing cold beverages with nutritional characteristics, would optimise energy intake so as to delay malnutrition
and improve quality of life.
Biography
Audrey Lim Soo Yen was born in 1982. She received her MBBCH BAO( Hons) at National University of Ireland,Galway. She completed her basic speciality training
Paefiatric (RCPI Ireland) in 2012. Currently, she is working at Singapore under Singhealth family medicine residency. Her main interest is in palliative care medicine
and end of life care. She always believe “ The end of life deserves as much beauty ,care and respect as the beginning”.
limsooyen688@gmail.comAudrey Lim Soo Yen et al., J Community Med Health Educ 2018, Vol 8
DOI: 10.4172/2161-0711-C1-033