Background
Disease-related malnutrition coexists alongside a medical diagnosis for up to 50% of adult patients in Alberta’s hospitals. Nutrition therapy for malnutrition during a hospital stay results in short-term improvements in nutrition status, but malnutrition may persist or reoccur after discharge. Recent ‘transitions in care’ improvement efforts in Alberta focus on coordinating post-discharge care for the primary medical diagnosis, but do not ensure that the treatment of malnutrition continues as well.

This research project aims to understand experiences of patients who had significant nutrition concerns during their hospital stay, focusing on the transition from hospital to home. We want to understand what patients/caregivers need in order to successfully continue nutritional therapy after discharge from hospital, and to identify the barriers that stand in their way. Finally, we hope to design strategies and tools to address these barriers and support success, through collaboration between patients, caregivers, health care providers, and researchers.

Roles and Responsibilities
We are seeking patient partners (patients who have experienced nutrition challenges while in hospital and required ongoing nutrition therapy or support after discharge, or caregivers or family members to someone who has. Examples of nutrition challenges include unintentional weight loss, muscle loss, difficulty eating, difficulty gaining weight, restricted diet, nutritional deficiencies, etc.

As part of the study advisory council, patient partners will be asked to:
-help guide the overall design of this research study
-design an interview guide to understand patient experiences with transitions in care
-develop the study recruitment strategy
-review interpretation of the study results (summarized interview results from patients and caregivers)

After the research study, patient partners will be invited to work together with researchers and dieticians to design strategies to support successful transitions of care.

We are currently seeking funding that would enable hiring of a patient partner as a research assistant, and for patient partner attendance at conferences where the results are shared (potential for 1-2 partners).

Time Commitment
This project anticipates starting January 2025 and will include:
-3 to 4 study planning meetings in January/February 2025.
-Update meetings April and June 2025.
-Collaboration meeting in November 2025.
-Collaboration meetings in January and March 2026.
Meetings will be 1.5 hours, virtual using Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Compensation
Patient partner compensation will be offered as per AbSPORU guidelines.
This is an online opportunity so there are no anticipated expenses such as travel or parking.

For more information or to express interest
Dr. Pamela Klassen
Pamela2@ualberta.ca