Implementation of STRONGkids in Identify Risk of Malnutrition in Government Hospital

Abstract

Hospital malnutrition increase morbidity and mortality rate of hospitalized children, regardless of underlying diseases. This study evaluated the risk of malnutrition using STRONGkids screening tool in hospitalized children in government hospitals. An observational study was done in seven government hospitals in Bali, Indonesia. The STRONGkids score of consecutively hospitalized children was calculated and compared with the nutritional status, age, gender, and underlying diseases. Chi-Square and Logistic Regression test were done with considered significant if P-value < 0.05.  Total 129 children included in this study. Fifty-six percent of males, mean age 4.1<3.4 years, 20.3% had an underlying chronically diseases, 6.2% had severe malnutrition, and 25.6% had moderate malnutrition. Based on STRONGkids, 12.4% children were at high risk and 87.6% at moderate risk without at low risk for malnutrition. High risk for malnutrition was associated with chronically diseases (p= 0.020), severe and moderate malnutrition (p = 0.001 and p = 0.012, respectively). It can be concluded that the STRONGkids can be recommended in identify the risk of malnutrition in hospitalized children. Children with high or moderate risk for malnutrition need nutritional support such as high energy density oral supplementation