The University of Oslo arranges all public defences digitally this semester, thus the disputation will be held as a video conference over Zoom.
The public defence will follow regular procedure as far as possible, hence it will be open to the public and the audience can ask ex auditorio questions when invited to do so.
Click here to participate in the public defence
Digital Trial Lecture – time and place
Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Marian de van der Schueren, Han University of Applied Sciences
- Second opponent: Associate professor Frode Slinde, University of Gothenburg
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor Kristin Heggen, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Associate Professor Jon Michael Gran, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Head of Department Lene Frost Andersen, University of Oslo
Summary
Disease-related malnutrition is present in approximately 30% of hospitalized patients. Malnutrition leads to increased morbidity, longer length of hospital stay, higher readmission rates and may cause premature death. The current practice for nutritional monitoring and treatment is based on paper-based and manual systems for dietary recording, and is associated with many barriers.
In the present PhD project, we developed the ‘MyFood’ decision support system to prevent and treat disease-related malnutrition, as a ‘proof-of-concept’. We evaluated MyFood, investigated potential barriers and facilitators for use, and studied effects in a hospital setting by the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods.
The interface of MyFood included an app and a webserver. MyFood included functions for dietary recording, evaluation of intake compared to individual requirements, and a report to nurses including tailored recommendations for nutritional treatment and a nutrition care plan. The dietary recording function estimated the patients’ intake of energy, protein and fluids satisfactory when compared to a reference method. Healthcare professionals perceived MyFood as more trustworthy, precise and motivational to use compared to the current practice. However, potential barriers were identified, e.g. lack of integration with the electronic patient record. The use of MyFood for patients at a hematological ward had no effect on weight change during their hospital stay. However, the use of MyFood led to a higher proportion of patients receiving nutritional treatment, a nutrition care plan and proper documentation of nutritional intake in the electronic record. The proportion of patients at risk of malnutrition at discharge was lower in the MyFood group compared with the control group.
In conclusion, this PhD thesis contributed to the development and evaluation of the MyFood decision support system, which may have a considerable potential for use in the healthcare system.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.