The Application of Self-Administered Nutrition Screening Tools and Evaluations of the Impact of Malnutrition on Quality of Life in Individuals with Head and Neck Cancer

Abstract Background: Individuals with head and neck cancer (HNCa) are at an increased risk of malnutrition. Therefore, self-administered nutrition screens which attempt to address their nutritional concerns may yield benefits for treatment outcomes and quality of life (QOL). Methods: 34 participants (26 men, 8 women) completed one demographic and two QOL surveys, two nutrition self-screening tools, a nutrition assessment and an ease-of-use questionnaire. Results of the screens were compared to those of the assessment, and relationships between QOL, nutrition status, and demographics were examined. Results: 32.3% of participants were identified as nutritionally compromised. The sensitivity and specificity for the PG-SGA SF and Pt-Global Application were found to be 81.8% and 100%, and 63.6% and 100%, respectively. Additionally, alterations in nutrition status were found to influence QOL. Conclusions: Data suggest that self-administered nutrition screens may be a viable option which enable proactive identification of nutritional concerns associated with HNCa