Malnutrition has been identified as a critical and costly problem in many countries, according to a study on hospital costs. The study aimed to determine the relationship between malnutrition and hospital costs, as well as the factors influencing this relationship.
The results of the study showed that even moderately malnourished patients, accounting for 34% of patients, had hospital stays that were 18% longer on average compared to well-nourished patients. The costs for these patients were also between 31% and 34% higher than for well-nourished patients with similar characteristics.
Severely malnourished patients, making up 11% of patients, had even longer hospital stays, staying 34% longer than well-nourished patients. Additionally, their total costs were 38% higher. Specifically, they stayed 53% longer in medical beds and had 55% higher medical costs on average.
These trends were consistent regardless of the type of costing data used in the analysis. The study provides valuable insights into the impact of malnutrition on hospital costs and highlights the need for effective interventions.
You can find more information about the study and its findings in the following link: Study on Hospital Cost and Malnutrition https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27765524/
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