Structural and process indicators of nutritional care: a comparison between Austrian hospitals and nursing homes.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe and compare structural and process indicators of nutritional care in Austrian hospitals and nursing homes.


METHODS
A multicenter, cross-sectional study was performed using a standardized and tested questionnaire. Data were collected on patient and institutional levels of hospitals and nursing homes.


RESULTS
Data from 18 Austrian hospitals (n = 2326 patients) and 18 Austrian nursing homes (n = 1487 residents) were collected. The prevalence of malnutrition was 23.2% in hospitals and 26.2% in nursing homes. All hospitals and 83.3% of the nursing homes employed dietitians. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition were used infrequently. Nutritional screening at admission was performed in 62.6% of the hospitalized patients and 93.4% of the nursing home residents. Nutritional screening tools were used in 28.9% of the nursing home residents and 14.5% of the hospitalized patients. Oral nutritional support was preferred to enteral and parenteral nutrition in the two settings. Dietitians were consulted in 27.5% of the malnourished hospitalized patients and 74.7% of the malnourished nursing home residents.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrated that nursing homes fulfilled more structural indicators and performed nutritional screening at admission more often than hospitals. Nevertheless, the prevalence of malnutrition was high in the two settings and a substantial number of malnourished patients/residents received no nutritional intervention at all. These results show the necessity for improvements in the nutritional care in Austria, for instance, through the routine use of nutritional screening tools followed by tailored nutritional interventions in patients/residents in need.
Department of Nursing Science, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. silvia.schoenherr@medunigraz.at
Silvia
S
Schönherr
Ruud J G
RJ
Halfens
Judith M M
JM
Meijers
Jos M G A
JM
Schols
Christa
C
Lohrmann
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004046:Dietetics; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006760:Hospitalization; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018529:Nutritional Support; D010343:Patient Admission; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D055815:Young Adult