Do we care about appetite? – an investigation into recording of appetite disorders in older adults

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Appetite loss is a common issue among older adults. However, its formal assessment is rarely undertaken in clinical practice. The aim of the study was to check the frequency of reporting of appetite status in hospitalized older adults and to analyze the terms used by physicians when reporting appetite disturbances. Methods: A retrospective analysis of electronic medical records of hospitalized patients aged 65 and older was conducted. Results: We included 1291 individual patients’ medical records, of which 13.3% contained any reference to appetite. We showed that in our setting, appetite was not assessed according to standardized questionnaires, and inconsistent terminology was used. Conclusions. Appetite status was rarely noted in electronic medical records. The lack of a structured assessment of appetite disorders in older patients was found.