Systematic Review of Nutritional Assessment Tools for Integration Into Primary Healthcare Delivery Systems
Abstract
Malnutrition remains a critical public health challenge globally, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries where primary healthcare systems serve as the first point of contact for vulnerable populations. The integration of effective nutritional assessment tools into primary healthcare delivery systems represents a strategic intervention for early detection, prevention, and management of nutritional disorders across the lifespan. This systematic review examines the landscape of nutritional assessment tools available for deployment in primary healthcare settings, with particular emphasis on their feasibility, validity, reliability, and sustainability in resource-constrained environments. Through comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and implementation reports, this review identifies key categories of nutritional assessment tools including anthropometric measurements, biochemical indicators, clinical examinations, dietary assessment methods, and composite screening instruments. The review further explores the practical challenges associated with tool implementation, including workforce capacity constraints, technological limitations, supply chain management issues, and the need for context-specific adaptation of standardized protocols. Findings reveal that while numerous validated nutritional assessment tools exist, significant gaps persist in their systematic integration into routine primary healthcare services, particularly in settings characterized by limited infrastructure, inadequate training programs, and competing healthcare priorities. The review synthesizes evidence on successful integration models, highlighting the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration, community-based surveillance approaches, and innovative technology-enabled solutions for enhancing nutritional surveillance capacity at the primary care level. Recommendations for policymakers, healthcare administrators, and frontline practitioners emphasize the need for standardized assessment protocols, sustainable training mechanisms, quality assurance systems, and robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to ensure effective nutritional assessment becomes a fundamental component of primary healthcare delivery globally.
Keywords
Nutritional Assessment, Primary Healthcare, Malnutrition Screening, Anthropometric Tools, Dietary Assessment, Integrated Health Systems, Community-Based Surveillance, Health Surveillance Systems, Nutritional Surveillance, Healthcare Integration
Citations
IRE Journals:
Stephanie Onyekachi Oparah, Funmi Eko Ezeh "Systematic Review of Nutritional Assessment Tools for Integration Into Primary Healthcare Delivery Systems" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 2 Issue 7 2019 Page 255-286
IEEE:
Stephanie Onyekachi Oparah, Funmi Eko Ezeh
"Systematic Review of Nutritional Assessment Tools for Integration Into Primary Healthcare Delivery Systems" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 2(7)
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