Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate whether nutritional status as measured by the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF) predicts level of care of the discharge destination after post-acute care in a nursing home. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Post-acute intermediate care nursing home, 19-bed unit with increased multidisciplinary staff. PARTICIPANTS: Patients ≥70 years in post-acute care (N=900) following an acute admission to the hospital. MEASUREMENTS: The predictive value of nutritional status, as measured by the MNA-SF, on discharge destination was analysed by means of a multinomial logistic regression model with the MNA-SF as the independent variable, discharge destination as the dependent variable and age and living situation as co-variates. The participants were grouped into three categories according to their discharge destination: home, other institution or readmitted to the hospital. RESULTS: A higher score on the MNA-SF significantly predicted a reduced risk of discharge to institution (adjusted OR=0.90 (95% CI=0.84;0.97), p=0.003). CONCLUSION: Nutritional status, as measured by the MNA-SF, predicted discharge destination from an intermediate care nursing home following acute hospitalisation. The findings underscore the value of nutritional assessment as part of overall clinical assessment and care planning prior to discharge. The findings may also imply that interventions to improve nutritional status could increase patients' ability to return home, as opposed to further institutionalisation, after hospitalisation.