Demographic, clinical and psychological predictors of malnutrition among people with liver cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the nutritional status and examine the demographic, clinical, nutritional, and psychosocial characteristics associated with malnutrition among people with liver cancer.

METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 162 liver cancer outpatients at a tertiary university hospital. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Self-administered structured questionnaires were administered, and medical records were reviewed for demographic, clinical, nutritional, and psychosocial characteristics.

RESULTS: Based on PG-SGA scores, 27 patients (16.7%) were classified into the malnutrition group. The stages of liver cancer, chemotherapy, physical and psychological symptom distress, global distress index, levels of alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonists, body mass index, appetite, hemoglobin and albumin levels, and depression were statistically significantly associated with malnutrition. Logistic regression model revealed that physical symptom distress, liver cancer stage, depression, and body mass index influenced statistically significantly malnutrition.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study, clinical, nutritional, and psychosocial characteristics predicted malnutrition among people with liver cancer. Nurses should consider these characteristics when evaluating the nutritional status of people with liver cancer.