Malnutrition in Hospitals



Malnutrition in Hospitals

Introduction

For over 25 years has been written by author's known and well-designed studies on malnutrition in hospitals in countries at different stages of development. At the time, data on prevalence and incidence of malnutrition in hospital (DH) express very similar figures from the first studies to this day. In this line deserves special mention the study by the group of experts convened by the Council of Europe, whose conclusions were agreed in February 2002. As obvious major improvements in feeding techniques, dietary and nutritional support artificial, the most plausible explanation for the persistence of malnutrition is based on the positive effect of these improvements is absorbed by the growing complexity of the disease currently treated and the greater aggressive therapeutic procedures, addressing therapeutic actions unthinkable in the years of the first studies (surgery and age, oncology, transplants, burns, etc).

Now, what has not changed, without exception, have been education and training and health administration. Have not been substantially updated techniques for the prevention, detection and control of malnutrition in our hospitals. We continue using the classic studies of mass action for individualized diagnosis of malnutrition, more or less simplified, and applying outdated concepts and parameters, valid for assessing the nutritional status of the individual, but too cumbersome for application to communities . Several simplified methods are proposed such as screening procedures (MNA, subjective global assessment, etc), But none can prosper by the requirements that have to devote time people with a certain degree of specialization. They are useful for epidemiological studies, but irrelevant to everyday practice.

Current Situation

In Europe, although malnutrition frequently affects the elderly living at home or in nursing homes, yet it is rarely recognized. It is estimated that up to 50 million Europeans (or people living in Europe) are malnourished. Studies show that one third of patients in hospitals and nursing homes are medically malnourished, as are ten percent of people aged 65 and over throughout the European Union (EU). The causes of persistent such high rates of hospital malnutrition can be attributed to different circumstances (See Pamphlet at the end of the paper).

Administration

The institutionally nutritional requirements of patients are not taken into account. Officially, it ignores the dependence of human beings, in that living biological unit, a contribution to cover your expenses, expenses that increase in sickness as a result of many therapeutic actions, both of which tend precisely to limit the income which join at the hospitalized patient. It continues to ignore this fact, unfortunately, even by medical professionals and nursing. Food in the hospitals is not adequately regulated or controlled, depending on the criterion still managing directors or management for programming and control, since not officially have their staff of experts in design and calibration control.

It is our great pleasure to see how hospital complexes are endowed with very sophisticated and expensive diagnostics or therapeutic procedures last things that apart from the material, required number of personnel to care for a limited number of patients. The funny thing is that is ...