Malnutrition Screening of Patients Sixty Years and Older in Primary Care

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess the feasibility of utilizing the MNA-SF screening tool to assess older adult participants’ perception and knowledge of malnutrition in a virtual clinic Background: Malnutrition is a concern for the older adult population. Lack of adequate nutrition can result in progressive decline in overall health and reduced quality of life. Routine screening of patients in primary care setting may lead to early identification of nutritional deficits; still, many practices do not routinely use screening tools, and many patients who are malnourished remain undetected. Methods: This project used a descriptive quantitative approach to determine participant perceptions of nutrition screening practices. Ten female participants over age 60 were included. A pre-implementation survey was administered to participants immediately prior to implementing the screening tool. The MNA-SF screening tool was then implemented. Next, a post-implementation survey was completed by participants to assess the feasibility of the MNASF tool for future practice. Descriptive analysis was used to determine current gaps in screening and patient perceptions of nutrition. Implementation occurred in a virtual healthcare clinic in Tucson, Arizona. Results: 100% of the participants reported they had not been screened for malnutrition with their primary providers in the past. Following implementation, the MNA-SF screening tool scores identified 30% of participants were at risk for malnutrition, and 10% were identified as malnourished. 100% of participants agreed the screening tool was easy to use, and 90% of 10participants agreed they would be willing to complete the screening tool during annual wellness visits with their primary care providers. Conclusions: The routine use of validated nutrition screening tools such as the MNA-SF can enhance detection of older adults who are at risk for malnourishment. All 10 participants in this project reported they had never been screened for malnutrition by their primary care provider, indicating the lack of current screening tool use. Most of the participants agreed the screening tool was easy to use and were willing to complete it at annual wellness visits. Further studies are warranted to determine efficacy of use in virtual environments and patient experiences with nutrition screening.