Assessment of Malnutrition Screening Practices Among Hospitalised Adults in a General Hospital in Kano State

Early identification of malnutrition risk among hospitalised patients through systematic screening is essential to initiating timely nutritional interventions and improving clinical outcomes. This study evaluates malnutrition screening practices among adult inpatients at Sir Mohammed Sunusi General Hospital, Kano, North West Nigeria. Malnutrition upon hospital admission and during inpatient care is widely underdiagnosed in Nigerian hospitals due to the absence of standardised screening tools and limited dietetic staffing. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted over three months, enrolling 220 adult medical and surgical inpatients within 48 hours of admission. The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool was administered by trained research assistants alongside anthropometric measurements including body mass index and mid-upper arm circumference. Existing medical records were reviewed to determine whether any nutrition screening or assessment was routinely documented by admitting teams. Semi-structured interviews with ward nurses and physicians assessed their awareness of malnutrition screening tools and perceived barriers to implementation. Findings are expected to show high rates of malnutrition risk among admitted patients, particularly among elderly and oncology patients, with almost no systematic nutritional screening taking place as part of routine admission protocols. The study recommends the adoption of a standardised malnutrition screening policy and dietetic referral pathway for Nigerian general hospitals. Keywords: malnutrition screening, hospitalised patients, Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool, Kano, clinical nutrition.