Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London (Medical School), Upper Third Floor, Royal Free Hospital, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, UK.
Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, 6th Floor, Wing A, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK.
Nutrients. 2022 Jun 9;14(12):2395. doi: 10.3390/nu14122395.
Eating and drinking difficulties, such as loss of appetite and swallowing problems, are common in dementia, but little is known about the experiences of ethnic minority groups who are managing these difficulties at home. The purpose of our study was to explore the meaning of food, the impact of dementia on eating and drinking, and carers' experiences of support. We undertook semi-structured interviews with 17 carers and people with dementia from ethnic minority backgrounds living in England, using thematic analysis to analyse the data. Food/drink had strong links to identity, culture and emotions. Providing culturally familiar foods, celebrating traditional festivals and supporting previous food-related roles promoted reminiscence, which encouraged the people living with dementia to eat and drink, as did social interactions, although these could lead to distress in those with more advanced dementia. Food choices were also influenced by carer strain, generational differences and the impact of health conditions. Despite a strong sense of duty to care for relatives at home, there was low awareness of community support services. The carers expressed a need for culturally tailored support for managing dementia-related eating and drinking difficulties at home. Healthcare professionals must provide contextually relevant advice to carers, being mindful of how cultural backgrounds can affect dietary choices.
进食和饮水困难，如食欲不振和吞咽问题，在痴呆症中很常见，但对于在家庭中应对这些困难的少数族裔群体的经历却知之甚少。我们的研究目的是探索食物的意义、痴呆症对饮食的影响以及照顾者的支持体验。我们在英格兰对 17 名有痴呆症背景的少数族裔照顾者和患者进行了半结构化访谈，使用主题分析对数据进行分析。食物/饮料与身份、文化和情感有着紧密的联系。提供具有文化特色的食物、庆祝传统节日以及支持之前与食物相关的角色，促进了怀旧，这鼓励了患有痴呆症的人进食和饮水，社交互动也有同样的效果，尽管这可能会给病情更严重的痴呆症患者带来困扰。食物选择也受到照顾者压力、代际差异和健康状况的影响。尽管照顾者有强烈的在家照顾亲人的责任感，但对社区支持服务的认识程度较低。照顾者表示需要针对管理家庭中与痴呆症相关的饮食困难的文化定制支持。医疗保健专业人员必须为照顾者提供具有背景相关性的建议，注意文化背景如何影响饮食选择。
