Design and validation of a context-specific nutritional screening tool for adult cardiac patients in Indian clinical setting

BackgroundMalnutrition is prevalent yet frequently under-recognized at hospital admission, particularly among cardiac patients. Current screening tools may need contextual adaptation for use in specific healthcare settings.AimTo assess healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding nutritional screening and to develop and validate a modified nutritional screening tool.MethodsA structured KAP questionnaire was distributed to 50 healthcare professionals. Subsequently, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 173 cardiac patients aged 30-60 years. The modified nutritional screening tool was applied within 24-48 hours of admission. Internal consistency was evaluated using the discrimination index (DI) and Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient.ResultsAn online survey with the response rate of 68% highlighted the importance of nutritional screening and the need for a tailored tool. Among patients, 35% were at low nutritional risk, 59% at medium risk, and 7% at high risk. Items with DI < 0.2 were removed. The modified nutritional screening tool demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.70-0.90) and excellent test-retest reliability (<i>r</i> = 0.97).ConclusionThe modified nutritional screening tool is a valid, efficient, and practical tool for identifying malnutrition risk in cardiac inpatients and is suitable for routine use in tertiary care hospitals. Larger comparative studies are recommended to confirm its applicability across diverse clinical settings.