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Rapid and reliable self-screening for nutritional risk in hospital outpatients using an electronic system

Rapid and reliable self-screening for nutritional risk in hospital outpatients using an electronic system
Rapid and reliable self-screening for nutritional risk in hospital outpatients using an electronic system
Objective

This study examined an electronic nutritional self-screening procedure for feasibility and for reliability, rapidity, and ease of use by hospital outpatients.

Methods

One hundred sixty consecutive patients (ages 18–87 y) attending a gastroenterology clinic measured their weight and height using a modified digital weight and height machine, which transmitted results to a computer. Following input of reported weight loss in the previous 3 mo to 6 mo, malnutrition risk by the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) was instantaneously calculated. The duration and ease of undertaking screening were noted. Screening also was undertaken by a health care professional.

Results

Of the patients in the study, 21.3% were at risk for malnutrition (medium + high risk). There was perfect agreement (kappa = 1.00) between self-screening and health care professional screening, between test–retest self-screening, and between two methods of measuring height (facing toward and away from the stadiometer). A low within-patient coefficient of variation was found for measurement of weight (<0.2%), height (<0.35%) and body mass index (<0.4%), except for two measurements in which height was recorded before correct positioning of the sliding headpiece. The overall time to self-screen was 1.29 ± 0.57 min but it was 2.81 ± 0.92 min in those aged ? 75 y. Of the participants, 96.2% rated self-screening as very easy (71.9%) or easy (24.3%) and 3.8% (predominantly patients ages ? 75 y) difficult.

Conclusion

The study provides evidence that electronic nutritional self-screening can be rapid, easy, reliable, and feasible in a clinical setting. Equipment specifically designed for self-screening and use in other types of patients and settings could facilitate appropriate and routine implementation of self-screening.
nutritional screening, self-screening, electronic, MUST, hospital outpatients
0899-9007
693-696
McGurk, P.
38079b40-33d4-4c62-be12-2b88f3387eca
Jackson, J.M.
56d28442-62b1-4425-96c6-27c321dfd310
Elia, M.
964bf436-e623-46d6-bc3f-5dd04c9ef4c1
McGurk, P.
38079b40-33d4-4c62-be12-2b88f3387eca
Jackson, J.M.
56d28442-62b1-4425-96c6-27c321dfd310
Elia, M.
964bf436-e623-46d6-bc3f-5dd04c9ef4c1

McGurk, P., Jackson, J.M. and Elia, M. (2013) Rapid and reliable self-screening for nutritional risk in hospital outpatients using an electronic system. Nutrition, 29 (4), 693-696. (doi:10.1016/j.nut.2012.12.020). (PMID:23466054)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objective

This study examined an electronic nutritional self-screening procedure for feasibility and for reliability, rapidity, and ease of use by hospital outpatients.

Methods

One hundred sixty consecutive patients (ages 18–87 y) attending a gastroenterology clinic measured their weight and height using a modified digital weight and height machine, which transmitted results to a computer. Following input of reported weight loss in the previous 3 mo to 6 mo, malnutrition risk by the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) was instantaneously calculated. The duration and ease of undertaking screening were noted. Screening also was undertaken by a health care professional.

Results

Of the patients in the study, 21.3% were at risk for malnutrition (medium + high risk). There was perfect agreement (kappa = 1.00) between self-screening and health care professional screening, between test–retest self-screening, and between two methods of measuring height (facing toward and away from the stadiometer). A low within-patient coefficient of variation was found for measurement of weight (<0.2%), height (<0.35%) and body mass index (<0.4%), except for two measurements in which height was recorded before correct positioning of the sliding headpiece. The overall time to self-screen was 1.29 ± 0.57 min but it was 2.81 ± 0.92 min in those aged ? 75 y. Of the participants, 96.2% rated self-screening as very easy (71.9%) or easy (24.3%) and 3.8% (predominantly patients ages ? 75 y) difficult.

Conclusion

The study provides evidence that electronic nutritional self-screening can be rapid, easy, reliable, and feasible in a clinical setting. Equipment specifically designed for self-screening and use in other types of patients and settings could facilitate appropriate and routine implementation of self-screening.

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More information

Published date: April 2013
Keywords: nutritional screening, self-screening, electronic, MUST, hospital outpatients
Organisations: Human Development & Health

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 362509
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/362509
ISSN: 0899-9007
PURE UUID: 8071a27d-53a9-4f80-8043-5e47d4f5d53e

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 25 Feb 2014 16:29
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 16:08

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Contributors

Author: P. McGurk
Author: J.M. Jackson
Author: M. Elia

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