Donnette A. Wright

By Donnette Wright

Nutrition has a strong positive linear relationship with hospitalisation, recovery and death. Nutritional status serves as an independent predictor of hospital morbidity and mortality. There is an ensuing academic debate concerning the role and magnitude of nutrition in modifying health outcomes and the strategies that are to be employed to ensure nutritional adequacy. Professional, skill, knowledge and experience are important correlates that may modify patient outcomes, but hospitals continue to be under-resourced even in developed states. It is imperative that current standards, recommendations and policies be examined with the view to aligning the appropriate needs and services to realise positive gains with hospital mortality and morbidity.

Part of the book: Strategies to Reduce Hospital Mortality in Lower and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) and Resource-Limited Settings

By Donnette Alicia Wright and Kadiann Peta-Gay Hewitt-Thompson

This chapter explores the link between the health outcomes of spinocerebellar ataxia and diet and nutrition as well as overall quality of life and well-being that is achieved as a result of nutritional support and nutritional profile. Spinocerebellar ataxia is a hereditary condition characterized by degenerative changes to parts of the brain, extending to the spinal cord, that affects mobility and voluntary actions. Due to the deteriorating impact of this neurological disorder, the management of health and wellness of the individual is imperative in stemming physiological decline and morbidity. The connections between dietary intake, quality of life and well-being are important components of the health response in providing optimum health outcomes for clients diagnosed with spinocerebellar ataxia. Consequently, an examination of factors that impede, promote and generally affect dietary intake, nutritional status and profile is essential towards improving disease related quality of life and morbidity and mortality risk. The cyclical impact of the neurological condition on nutritional status and its corresponding impact on disease progression is an important exploratory point. Finally, recommendations and standardized guidance are crucial to expanding the health care approach and the overall wellness of individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia.

Part of the book: Spinocerebellar Ataxia

By Donnette A. Wright

This chapter examines the link between nutritional health outcomes in clients diagnosed with spinocerebellar ataxia as well as generalized quality of life and well-being that is achieved as a result of nutritional intervention and concordant nutritional status. Spinocerebellar ataxia is a familial disorder typified by degenerative changes to the neurological system including the brain, and spinal cord, impacting mobility and volitional actions. Due declining neural activity, the management of health and wellness in the affected individuals is central to mitigating the functional decline and morbidity. The linkage between dietary intake and nutritional support is a significant element of the health care interventions necessary to provide optimal health outcomes in clients diagnosed with spinocerebellar ataxia. Accordingly, an analysis of factors that impact dietary intake, and nutritional profile is pivotal in regulating disease progression, remission and management. The isochronous relationship between nutritional support and spinocerebellar ataxic progression and the concordant impact of disease progression on nutritional outcome is a critical subject for review. Lastly, summative standardized models are essential to guiding the health care strategy for managing the wellbeing of individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia.

Part of the book: Ataxia