Poster (Knowledge Generation) ID 1987820

Abstract

Anti-inflammatory diets have shown effective in reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, and neuropathic pain and depression in individuals with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D). However, work to date has focused on community-dwelling individuals with SCI/D, and the diet’s efficacy in an inpatient population, and the feasibility of offering it in a hospital, are unknown. The inpatient setting may be ideal for introducing an anti-inflammatory diet, as immune-related health complications peak acutely after SCI, and forming new dietary habits may be easier in an inpatient setting. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the feasibility of an anti-inflammatory diet in the inpatient SCI/D setting. Phase 1: Understand the nutritional value of the current meal plans in selected inpatient SCI/D hospitals and their compliance with our anti-inflammatory diet. Phase 2: Understand the opinions that inpatients with SCI/D have regarding their currently offered meal choices and their readiness to learn about, and adopt, an anti-inflammatory diet. Phase 3: Understand the barriers and facilitators for implementing an anti-inflammatory diet in an inpatient setting from the perspective of hospital administrators. This study will take place in the SCI inpatient settings in two Ontario hospitals. Four to five inpatients from each site will be interviewed in Phase 1 and 2, and four to five Food Services administrators from each site will be interviewed in Phase 3. Menu plans, as well as individual food logs will be analyzed for nutritional value and compliance to an anti-inflammatory diet. Interviews will be subject to thematic analysis.