Applicability of the NutriMental screener for the identification of nutrition-related risks

Ramona HILTENSPERGER¹, Jennifer NEHER¹, Lea BOEHM¹, Eva ROTHERMUND¹, Scott TEASDALE², Annabel MUELLER-STIERLIN¹

¹Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
²University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Background: People with mental health conditions often face nutritional problems that promote the development of somatic comorbidities, which lead to a further reduction in their quality of life and life expectancy. To date, nutrition-related problems often are not adequately addressed in psychiatric and psychosomatic rehabilitation care. There is a lack of valid tools to identify individuals at risk of malnutrition, overeating and other nutritional problems.

Method: A screening tool (NutriMental screener) to identify nutrition-related problems of people with depression was developed in a participatory approach. To identify requirements for the NutriMental screener for use in inpatient psychosomatic rehabilitation, in a first step, qualitative individual interviews with physicians, dietitians and other staff members were conducted at eight psychosomatic rehabilitation clinics in Germany.

Results: We present the background and development of the NutriMental screener. Further, preliminary results of the qualitative interviews will be presented. Participants will elaborate on their experiences with the prescription and utilization of nutritional therapy services in psychosomatic rehabilitation and their subjective assessments of the potential added value of the NutriMental screener.

Discussion: The qualitative study will provide recommendations for the ensuing mixed-method feasibility test of the NutriMental screener with service users and service providers and for the sustainable integration of the NutriMental screener into everyday care in psychosomatic rehabilitation. Implementing the use of the NutriMental screener will lead to nutrition-related problems of service users being recognized at the beginning of inpatient rehabilitation and being addressed appropriately during the inpatient stay by selecting suitable rehabilitation measures, especially nutritional therapy services, thereby enhancing interdisciplinary care to promote recovery and well-being.