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Hospital Malnutrition: Prevalence, Identification and Impact on Patients and the Healthcare System

Author

Listed:
  • Lisa A. Barker

    (Nutrition Department, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Str., Parkville 3050, Victoria, Australia)

  • Belinda S. Gout

    (Nutrition Department, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Str., Parkville 3050, Victoria, Australia)

  • Timothy C. Crowe

    (School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood Hwy, Burwood 3125, Victoria, Australia)

Abstract

Malnutrition is a debilitating and highly prevalent condition in the acute hospital setting, with Australian and international studies reporting rates of approximately 40%. Malnutrition is associated with many adverse outcomes including depression of the immune system, impaired wound healing, muscle wasting, longer lengths of hospital stay, higher treatment costs and increased mortality. Referral rates for dietetic assessment and treatment of malnourished patients have proven to be suboptimal, thereby increasing the likelihood of developing such aforementioned complications. Nutrition risk screening using a validated tool is a simple technique to rapidly identify patients at risk of malnutrition, and provides a basis for prompt dietetic referrals. In Australia, nutrition screening upon hospital admission is not mandatory, which is of concern knowing that malnutrition remains under-reported and often poorly documented. Unidentified malnutrition not only heightens the risk of adverse complications for patients, but can potentially result in foregone reimbursements to the hospital through casemix-based funding schemes. It is strongly recommended that mandatory nutrition screening be widely adopted in line with published best-practice guidelines to effectively target and reduce the incidence of hospital malnutrition.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa A. Barker & Belinda S. Gout & Timothy C. Crowe, 2011. "Hospital Malnutrition: Prevalence, Identification and Impact on Patients and the Healthcare System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-14, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:8:y:2011:i:2:p:514-527:d:11349
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Meredith Whitmire & Mary Beth Arensberg & Alexandra Ashbrook & Robert Blancato, 2021. "Nutrition‐Related Policy Fundamentals for Supporting Older Adults in the Community during a Pandemic: Lessons from COVID‐19," Journal of Elder Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 1(3), pages 223-260, September.
    2. Laura Alston & Megan Green & Vincent L Versace & Kristy A. Bolton & Kay Widdicombe & Alison Buccheri & Didir Imran & Steven Allender & Liliana Orellana & Melanie Nichols, 2020. "Profiling Malnutrition Prevalence among Australian Rural In-Patients Using a Retrospective Census of Electronic Medical Files over a 12-Month Period," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-11, August.
    3. Scott B. Teasdale & Sabrina Moerkl & Sonja Moetteli & Annabel Mueller-Stierlin, 2021. "The Development of a Nutrition Screening Tool for Mental Health Settings Prone to Obesity and Cardiometabolic Complications: Study Protocol for the NutriMental Screener," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-9, October.
    4. Ladina Risch & Florian Hotzy & Stefan Vetter & Sascha Hiller & Kathrin Wallimann & Erich Seifritz & Sonja Mötteli, 2022. "Assessment of Nutritional Status and Risk of Malnutrition Using Adapted Standard Tools in Patients with Mental Illness and in Need of Intensive Psychiatric Treatment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Wei-Ti Su & Shao-Chun Wu & Chun-Ying Huang & Sheng-En Chou & Ching-Hua Tsai & Chi Li & Shiun-Yuan Hsu & Ching-Hua Hsieh, 2020. "Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index as a Screening Tool to Identify Patients with Malnutrition at a High Risk of In-Hospital Mortality among Elderly Patients with Femoral Fractures—A Retrospective Study ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-9, November.

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