title: Availability of nutrition screening parameters in New Brunswick hospitals and nursing homes.
abstract: We explored the availability of parameters for a nutrition screening system among elderly people in New Brunswick (NB) health care facilities. Patients aged 65 or older were asked to participate in the study; each participant had been admitted to one of four hospitals or lived in one of six nursing homes. Availability of nutrition screening parameters (weight, height, weight change, serum albumin level, appetite, and food intake record) was assessed by auditing the participants' medical charts. When data were not available, the feasibility of obtaining them was determined. Additional data related to nutrition screening were also obtained. In total, 421 participants were recruited for the study: 140 (33.2%) who lived in nursing homes and 281 (66.8%) who were in hospitals. Parameters needed to conduct nutrition screening, such as weight upon admission, were available for 83.6% of participants; usual weight was available for 43.0%, height for 86.0%, and serum albumin level for 47.5%. Our findings show that basic parameters for nutrition screening are available, and that implementation of a nutrition screening system is feasible for patients in NB health care facilities.
authors.affiliation: École des sciences des aliments, de nutrition et d'études familiales, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caissie
authors.forename: Lita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Villalon
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carrier
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laporte
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009509:New Brunswick; D009735:Nursing Homes; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D010343:Patient Admission