Hospital Associated Variation in Nutritional Status and Dietary Compliance of Elderly Patients.

Background: Malnutrition is associated with detrimental aftermaths for patients including increased infections, complications, exacerbated muscle loss, prolonged hospital stay, and is often underdiagnosed. Objective: The study was carried out to determine the hospital associated variability of nutritional status, impact of length of stay on malnutrition in geriatrics. Methods: A sample of 100 participants was selected for a single group pretest posttest quasi experimental study. Interviewer administered questionnaire and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) tool were used to collect data both at the time of admission and discharge. Within group pre-admission and post-discharge outcomes including nutrition practices, dietary compliance and nutritional status assessed by SGA were compared. Results: The BMI of the participants decreased at the time of discharge (22.89±4.44 kg/m2 pretest vs. 22.25±4.46 kg/m2 posttest) and more adults were categorized undernourished (13% in pretest vs.17% in posttest). A significant decrease in well-nourished participants (45.0% pretest vs. 32.0% posttest), and increased malnourished individuals (12.0% pretest vs. 25.0% posttest) was observed. Conclusion: Length of stay along with dietary constraints in geriatrics affects the nutritional status drastically. Targeted dietetic interventions can decrease hospital associated malnourishment. Dietary compliance of hospitalized patients can be ensured by educating the patient/caregiver to reduce the risk of malnutrition and hospital readmission. Patients already malnourished at admission are more prone to have deteriorating health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]