Abstract
Disease-related malnutrition is still a significant problem in hospital care, and the Council of Europe has in a resolution 2003 stated that the number of undernourished patients i Europe is unacceptable, and given recommendations to the member states on how to improve the situation. We investigated the use of clinical nutrition in Swedish hospitals and compared it with the guidelines from the Council of Europe by doing a questionnaire-based study among doctors, nurses and dieticians randomely selected in Swedish hospitals. Overall, 1656 (38%) responded to the questionnaire. 88 percent stated that nutritional assessment ought to be performed on admission, but only 22 % claimed that it was a routine procedure. Nearly half of the responders stated that education regarding clinical nutrition was insufficient. A lack of clearly defined responsibilities for the different staff groups was stated in a majority of the responders. The use of clinical nutrition in Swedish hospitals did not fulfill the standards for nutrition support according to the guidelines of the Council of Europe. Special efforts should be aimed at a clarified organization, both on a national and a regional level.
| Original language | Swedish |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1718-1724 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Läkartidningen |
| Volume | 103 |
| Issue number | 21-22 |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Swedish Standard Keywords
- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (30301)
