2.2. Participant Recruitment
chronic kidney disease, Malnutrition, cancer, NSD, Hypertension, weight loss, diabetes
HYPERLIPIDEMIA, MALNUTRITION, CANCER, RECRUITMENT, CHRONIC DISEASES, ACUTE DISEASE, HYPERTENSION, MALNUTRITION, DIABETES
Regarding inclusion criteria, participants who were older than 65 years and had the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) score of ≥1 were considered at risk of malnutrition. The MUST score was evaluated by three factors such as BMI, unplanned weight loss, and acute disease effects. Additionally, participants were not allowed to accept any ONSs at the time of recruitment for this study. The exclusion criteria included subjects who have chronic diseases, such as diabetes undergoing insulin therapy, chronic kidney disease, and cancer. Hypertension and hyperlipidemia, without taking medicine, were not excluded in this study.There were four nursing homes in this study, including (1) Taipei Veterans Home, Veterans Affairs Council, (2) Ren-ai Senior Citizens Home, New Taipei City Government, (3) Northern Region Senior Citizens’ Home, Ministry of the Interior, and (4) Hygge Healthcare. The group assignment was determined through a random selection process, where participants within the same nursing home were assigned to the same group. This was carried out to avoid participants comparing whether they received oral nutritional supplements with each other. As a result, (1) and (2) were NE groups, while (3) and (4) were NSD groups. Regarding the recruitment process, the staff members of the project took the opportunity to explain the details of the experiment to the participants during the group activities. This included providing information about the purpose of the study, the intervention being tested, and the potential benefits and risks. Staff members also emphasized the voluntary nature of participation and assured them of their right to withdraw from the study at any time without consequences. After the explanation, those participants who expressed a willingness to participate were asked to remain for further assessment, such as the MSUT score and medical history. Participants who achieved inclusion/exclusion criteria were then given the opportunity to discuss their participation with their family members. Finally, participants who expressed continued willingness to participate after discussing with their family members were asked to sign a consent form. This formalized their agreement to be part of the experiment and marked their official entry into the study.