Meals on Wheels, the Effect of a Home Food-delivery Service for Cancer Patients

To assess the Global QoL, a questionnaire from the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-30, version 3, will be used. This is a validated, cancer-specific questionnaire with a total of 30 questions, looking back at the past week. The scoring of QoL is based on 2 specific questions with response options ranging from 1-7 which indicate very bad to very good. A Danish version of the questionnaire will be used.

To assess the Global QoL, a questionnaire from the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-30, version 3, will be used. This is a validated, cancer-specific questionnaire with a total of 30 questions, looking back at the past week. The scoring of QoL is based on 2 specific questions with response options ranging from 1-7 which indicate very bad to very good. A Danish version of the questionnaire will be used.

Hand grip strength (in kg) will be measured with a Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer. Participants will be seated with forearms rested on the arms of the chair. They are asked to perform three maximum force trials with their dominant hand and using the second handle position. The test will be repeated within 30 seconds, and the maximum grip score from the three measured values will be used.

The 30-second-chair-stand test consist of manually counting the number of sit-stand-sit cycles completed during the 30 seconds of the test. A standard chair (with a seat height of 40cm) with or without a backrest but with armrests will be used. Initially, subject will be seated on the chair with their back in an upright position. They will be instructed to rise after the "1, 2, 3, go" command at their own preferred speed with their arms folded across their chest. If the participant is only able to perform the test by using armrest, the test will be recorded as "modified".

Body weight will be measured to the nearest 0.1 kg following standard procedures (i.e. without shoes, minimal clothing).

The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) is a short self-report scale designed to measure depressive symptoms (Hann D. et al. 1999). The questionnaire contains 20 items, divided in four domains: Somatic Retarded Activity (7 items), Depressed Affect (5 items), Positive Affect (4 items), and Interpersonal Affect (2 items), and 2 single items that complete the total score. The total score ranges from 0 to 60; a score of ≥16 indicates a depressed symptomatology. The CES-D has been validated in several samples of cancer patients, and it is often administered to inpatients with cancer (Vodermaier A. et al. 2009). A Danish version of the questionnaire will be used.

Dietary intake will be assessed by a dietary interview covering patient's dietary intake over the past week. On basis of the dietary interview the total energy and protein intake per day is estimated. A food database with energy- and protein content of various foods is used for the estimation.

Data on re-admissions to the hospital and LOS will be collected from all participants medical charts (hospital medical system OPUS/GS).

Data on mortality will be collected from all participants' medical charts (hospital medical system OPUS/GS).

Using EORTC-QLQ-30 version 3 - looking back at the past week. Out of the 30 questions the functional score is based on 15 specific questions with 4 response options indicating either: not at all, a little, some or a lot. Involves questions related to physical-, role-, emotional-, cognitive- and social functioning.

Using EORTC-QLQ-30 version 3 - looking back at the past week. Out of the 30 questions the symptom score is based on 13 specific questions with 4 response options indicating either: not at all, a little, some or a lot.

All patients in the intervention group are requested to daily fulfil a compliance sheet during the whole 12-week period, where the intake of intervention dishes will be recorded. Project staff will review the completed sheets together with the study participant at mid-way (week 6) and at the final 12-week visit in order to minimize possible uncertainties. Moreover, eventual side-effects and reasons for non-compliance will be recorded.

All the intervention participants will receive an evaluation form in order to assess the acceptability of the offered meals, the food-delivery service, and a possible price they would give for this particular food-delivery service.

Definition of social status: if the participant is living alone or not