title: Capturing the data: nutrition risk screening of adults in hospital.
abstract: This study aims to explore limitations with the Malnutrition Screening Tool in identifying malnutrition risk, in a cohort of 3,033 adult Australian medical and surgical hospital inpatients. Seventy-two percent of patients were screened; illness and medical care limited access to others. Malnutrition risk (16.5%; n = 501) was found in all age groups with a trend to higher risk in medical wards; 10% (n = 300) of patients with communication barriers were excluded. Systematic screening increased dietitians' referrals by 39%. Further research is required to enable screening of all patients, including those with communication issues with an easy to use valid tool.
authors.affiliation: Manager, Nutrition and Dietetics, Dandenong Hospital, Dandenong Victoria, 3175 Australia. Elizabeth.Frew@southernhealth.org.au
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frew
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cant
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sequeira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult