Mitra Unosson, Professor Emerita

Research area

The research has been focused principally within three areas: malnutrition in elderly people, postoperative recovery and methodological studies.

Malnutrition in elderly people

Mitra Unossons research experience started at the end of 1980s with studies that resulted in a thesis about Malnutrition in hospitalised elderly patients (Linköping University, 1993).

As a continuation following main areas has been incorporated

- Nutritional status and functional capacity in elderly people with a hip fracture
- Nutrition, health and life-situation in elderly people with leg ulcers
- Malnutrition in elderly people in need of municipal care
- Eating difficulties in hospitalised elderly patients
- Weight loss in elderly people with Parkinson’s disease
- Evaluation of nutritional interventions
- Nutritional knowledge and practice among physicians and nurses

Postoperative recovery

- Development of strategic and clinical quality indicators in postoperative pain management
- Aspects of postoperative pain management from the patients’ perspective
- The effect of music on postoperative recovery

Fatigue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

- The impact of perceived fatigue on functioning and health in patients with COPD
- The effects of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COPD

Ongoing projects

1. Fatigue, function and health in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

In our previous studies, we found that almost half of the patients with COPD had problems with fatigue every day. Patients with severe fatigue had more functional limitations and worse health compared with patients with moderate fatigue. The major purpose of this study is to analyse the relationships between subjective fatigue and systemic inflammation, body composition and functional capacity in patients with COPD. Although the mechanism describing the perception of fatigue has not yet clearly been established, identifying contributing factors will improve the understanding of COPD related fatigue and might help the development of targeted interventions.

The research group: Per Jakobsson, MD, PhD, University hospital, Linköping., Magnus Kentson, MD, Länssjukhuset Ryhov, Jönköping, Elisabeth Skargren, physiotherapist, Assoc. professor, IMH, Linköping university., Kersti Theander, RN, PhD, Karlstad university., Kristina Tödt, physiotherapist, University hospital, Linköping.

2. Postoperative recovery

Postoperative recovery is described as an energy-requiring process of returning to normality and wholeness regarding activities of daily living and psychological well-being. The main purpose of this project is to investigate intermediate and late postoperative recovery after day surgery including patients who had performed an orthopaedic surgical procedure, general surgery and gynaecology surgery. The results from the study can lead to changed routines in the day care surgery, prevention of complications at home, less consumption of hospital care and a more developed self-care abilities.

The research group: Ewa Idvall, professor, Malmö University., Ulrica Nilsson, Associate professor, Örebro university hospital, Katarina Berg, PhD, student.

3. Empowering education of orthopaedic patients - evaluation and a European comparison (EEPO)

The purpose of this project is to describe empowering knowledge of orthopaedic patients and their significant others in connection with knee or hip replacement, to analyse the relationship between patients’ expected and received knowledge, the recovery process and quality of life, and to evaluate the differences between seven European countries participating in the project. Understanding patients’ and significant others’ needs for knowledge allows for the further development of educational programmes designed to foster empowerment.

The research group: Elisabeth Eriksson, PhD, Jönköping University., Pia Tingström, PhD, IMH, Linköping University, Katarina Berg, PhD student, IMH, Linköpings universitet, Åsa Johansson stark, University lecturer, ISV, Linköping University.