Under-identification of cancer outpatients at risk of malnutrition: are we making the most of anthropometric data?

Francesca Tabacchi; Vasiliki Iatridi; Jonathan Tammam; Eila Watson; Shelly Coe

doi:10.7861/fhj.2022-0072

Under-identification of cancer outpatients at risk of malnutrition: are we making the most of anthropometric data?

Future Healthc J. 2022 Nov;9(3):310-312. doi: 10.7861/fhj.2022-0072.

Authors

Francesca Tabacchi¹, Vasiliki Iatridi², Jonathan Tammam³, Eila Watson⁴, Shelly Coe²

Affiliations

¹ Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
² Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.
³ Oxford Brookes Centre for Nutrition and Health, Oxford, UK.
⁴ Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK and Oxford Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Research, Oxford, UK.

Abstract

In oncological outpatient settings, patients often require nutritional support after they have developed malnutrition. A delayed dietetic referral can lead to increased difficulties in providing therapies and surgery, and to poorer patient outcomes. The audit described in this article aimed to assess the frequency and completeness of patient record documentation of anthropometric measurements in a day treatment unit (DTU) in a single cancer centre in the UK. The underlying goal was to improve anthropometry monitoring procedures to ensure that documentation is sufficient to indicate weight loss and, hence, allow timely referrals for nutrition support. The results show that, for over 80% of patients, it was not possible to identify a weight trend between the latest two treatments received at the hospital. The audit findings highlight the need to improve malnutrition monitoring and to ensure patient records contain updated and accurate anthropometric measurements in order to facilitate medical staff to recognise early malnutrition risk and refer for appropriate nutritional support when needed.

Keywords: anthropometric measures; audit; cancer; malnutrition.