The Eat Well, Feel Well, Stay Well feasibility study

ISRCTN ISRCTN76863664
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN76863664
Secondary identifying numbers 35533
Submission date
31/08/2017
Registration date
25/09/2017
Last edited
11/10/2023
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Other
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
About 13% of older people living at home are at risk of malnutrition. This may be because they are not getting enough to eat, or because they are not eating enough of the right food. A programme has been developed to help doctors and nurses in general practice to check if older adults who live at home are at risk of malnutrition. They can then offer support to those who need it. This is called ‘Eat well, feel well, stay well’, includes MUST (the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool), booklets and other materials for older adults, and a support tool for health professionals. The support tool includes guidance about when to see patients and when to use oral nutritional supplements. MUST was developed by experts at BAPEN http://www.bapen.org.uk/. The rest of the intervention was developed by experts who looked at previous literature to find what helps or hinders older adults eating well, and what is likely to work best in general practice. The intervention was improved after feedback from people aged over 65 years, patients and healthcare professionals. This study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention by comparing two versions of the intervention. One is a brief intervention with MUST screening, patient booklets and follow-up; the other is a stepped care intervention. This means that patients will have the brief intervention plus oral nutritional supplements (ONS) for short spells when they are unwell. a group of patients who have the usual care that is provided by their doctors’ surgery are also followed to assess outcomes including change in eating patterns, weight and quality of life. The results of the feasibility study will help us to design a full trial.

Who can participate?
Adults aged 65 and older who have one more major medical or social problems.

What does the study involve?
Practices are randomly allocated to one of three groups. Those in the first group receive the nurse care where they attend a screening appointment to check their health and calculate their MUST score. Participants are offered booklets with lifestyle advice and have a follow up phone call to see how things are going. They are invited to have more appointments and answer a questionnaire after six months. Those in the second group receive the nurse case and are also prescribed oral nutritional supplements. Those in the last group receive the standard care. Participants are followed up at six to nine months.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
For participants who struggle to gain weight, taking part in the study may be beneficial. There are no anticipated risks with participation.

Where is the study run from?
This study is being run by the University of Southampton (UK) and takes place in practices in the UK.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2017 to October 2019

Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Jackie Seely, J.Seely@soton.ac.uk

Contact information

Ms Jackie Seely
Scientific

Primary Care, Population Science & Medical Education
Aldermoor Health Centre
Aldermoor Close
Lordshill
Southampton
SO16 5ST
United Kingdom

Email J.Seely@soton.ac.uk

Study information

Study designRandomised; Interventional; Design type: Treatment, Screening, Education or Self-Management, Dietary, Psychological & Behavioural
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)GP practice
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet ISRCTN76863664_PIS_04Aug17_V2.pdf
Scientific titleScreen and TREAt for Malnutrition (STREAM) Programme Workstream 1: Feasibility study
Study acronymSTREAM
Study hypothesisThe aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of an intervention in primary care to encourage the use of malnutrition screen and treat (MST) policies for older people living in their own homes.
Ethics approval(s)North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee, 14/08/2017, ref: 224100
ConditionMalnutrition
InterventionThis is a cluster randomised study. The practices are randomised to one of three study arms:
1. Nurse Care- Participants attend a screening appointment where Grip strength and Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) are tested. Participants are screened using Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). Participants with a MUST score of 1-4 are assessed for underlying problems using a nutritional assessment proforma. They are offered printed booklets addressing their needs, a brief phone follow-up, and brief face-to-face appointments with a practice nurse at intervals, depending on their MUST score. Participants may be referred to a dietitian for further assessment, depending on their MUST score, health and eating status.

2. Nurse Care with stepped approach to prescribing oral nutritional supplements. Participants have their nurse care intervention (as above) and are also be prescribed ONS if needed, initially in short courses during intercurrent illness, and longer courses as necessary.

3. Usual care: Participants continue to have the normal existing medical support provided by their GP surgery.

The total duration of screening and treatment for patients will be 6 months. A nested qualitative study will follow, at six to nine months, with a patients and healthcare professionals who opt to do this.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureHealth outcomes are measured using SF36 physical outcome at baseline and six months.
Secondary outcome measures1. Weight/Height/Weight loss is measured at baseline (for intervention groups) and six month (for all groups)
2. Current/recent acute illness/Vitamin/supplement are measured using questionnaires at baseline and six months
3. Appetite is measured using SNAQ appetite questionnaire at baseline and six months
4. Health status is measured using EQ5D5L at baseline and six months
5. Food Frequency is measured using the food frequency questionnaire at baseline and six months
6. Psychological measures (e.g. self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, perceptions of supporter, self-regulation) are measured using questionnaire at baseline and six months
7. Episodes of infection are measured using note review post six month follow up
8. Grip strength - which is a useful marker of malnutrition, and the prognosis of malnutrition is measured using a Jamar Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer at baseline (for intervention groups) and six months (all groups)
9. NHS resource usage (consultations, new conditions identified, or new drugs prescribed, antibiotic use, hospital admissions, care home admissions) and mortality is measured using note reviews post at six month follow up
10. Dietary markers are measured using urine and or blood samples at baseline and six months (optional)
Overall study start date01/01/2017
Overall study end date01/10/2019

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participantsPlanned Sample Size: 150; UK Sample Size: 150
Participant inclusion criteria1. Be aged ≥65 years
2. Have one or more of these major medical or social problem(s) increasing nutritional risk: COPD, cerebrovascular disease, cardiac failure, CKD (stage IIIb/IV/V), chronic liver disease, Crohn’s disease, hospital discharge in previous 2-3 months, Parkinson’s disease, current depression, living alone
Participant exclusion criteria1. Terminal disease
2. Ongoing primary treatment for cancer
3. Diabetes
4. Established dementia
5. Using oral nutritional supplements (ONS)
6. Established nutritional support
7. Unable to consent
Recruitment start date01/10/2017
Recruitment end date29/03/2019

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centres

Salisbury Medical Practice
Fisherton House
Fountain Way
Wiltshire
Salisbury
SP2 7FD
United Kingdom
Cowplain Family Practice
26-30 London Road
Cowplain
PO8 8DL
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Southampton
Hospital/treatment centre

Research Integrity and Governance Manager
Building 37, Room 4079
University Road
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
England
United Kingdom

ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/01ryk1543

Funders

Funder type

Government

National Institute for Health Research
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
National Institute for Health Research, NIHR Research, NIHRresearch, NIHR - National Institute for Health Research, NIHR (The National Institute for Health and Care Research), NIHR
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date31/12/2022
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryAvailable on request
Publication and dissemination planCurrent publication and dissemination plan as of 18/01/2022:
Planned publication of qualitative data from the feasibility study in a peer reviewed journal. The data has been presented at relevant conferences. Findings and a progress report were made available to the NIHR programme grants committee.

Previous publication and dissemination plan:
Planned publication in a high-impact peer reviewed journal.
IPD sharing planAnonymised data will be released upon a suitable request for the proposed use of the data. Contact Prof Paul Little, p.little@soton.ac.uk or Prof Mike Stroud, M.A.Stroud@soton.ac.uk. In the unlikely event that we decline to release the data we propose that the funder would arbitrate the decision. The detail of what we release we will be guided by ethics.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Participant information sheet version V2 04/08/2017 26/10/2017 No Yes
Other unpublished results 18/01/2022 No No
Protocol file version 6 14/11/2018 18/08/2022 No No
Other publications Qualitative study 11/11/2021 11/10/2023 Yes No

Additional files

ISRCTN76863664_PIS_04Aug17_V2.pdf
Uploaded 26/10/2017
34110_other_unpublished_results.pdf
34110 PROTOCOL STREAM Feasibility study V6 14Nov18.pdf

Editorial Notes

11/10/2023: Publication reference added.
18/08/2022: Uploaded protocol (not peer-reviewed) as an additional file.
18/01/2022: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. Publication reference added.
2. A results summary was uploaded.
3. The publication and dissemination plan was changed.
4. The intention to publish date was changed from 31/12/2021 to 31/12/2022.
5. The contact was changed.
6. The plain English summary was updated to reflect these changes.
19/01/2021: The scientific contact's details have been updated.
07/01/2021: The intention to publish date was changed from 31/12/2019 to 31/12/2021.
07/01/2021: Contact details updated.
03/04/2019: The condition has been changed from "Specialty: Primary Care, Primary sub-specialty: Ageing; UKCRC code/ Disease: Generic Health Relevance/ No specific disease" to "Malnutrition" following a request from the NIHR.
13/11/2018: The participant level data and IPD sharing statements were added.
07/11/2018: The recruitment end date was changed from 04/10/2018 to 29/03/2019.
26/10/2017: Internal review.