A recent study shows how nurses can help people in rural communities, with limited finances, get nutritious food and clean water, and face a dignified end to their lives.
Researchers spoke to women in Malawi with HIV or terminal cancers and their caregivers. Food security was an important issue.
Many lacked a stable food supply.
Women were unable to farm effectively due to ill health or limited access to agricultural inputs. Unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change has limited their ability to grow sufficient food for their families. Caregivers had little time to attend to their owns farms because they were at hospitals tending to patients.
Nurses are close to the community and patients. They can lobby effectively for patient rights. They provide important information on growing food and getting good nutrition. They can also work with community leaders to meet nutritional needs of women at end of life.
Original article:
Dignity at the end of life: a Malawian nursing study shows the impact of food
Original study:
The intersection of food insecurity and health for rural Malawian women at the end of life