Effectivenes of Nutrition Support Program on Malnutrition in Cancer Patient Bueng Kan Hospital

Abstract

This preliminary experimental study employed a one-group pre-posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutritional therapy program. The objectives were to compare the mean malnutrition scores before and after the intervention and to assess patient satisfaction with the program among cancer patients at Buengkan Hospital. Data were collected from January to April 2025 with a sample of 30 participants.The research instruments consisted of: (1) intervention tools, including the nutritional therapy program and an educational manual; and (2) data collection tools, comprising a demographic record form, the SPENT nutritional screening tool, the Nutritional Assessment Form (NAF), and a researcher-developed satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, specifically the paired t-test. The findings revealed that post-intervention malnutrition scores (x̅ = 3.80, S.D. = 1.19) were significantly lower than pre-intervention scores (x̅ = 6.60, S.D. = 2.49) (p < 0.000). In addition, participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the program (x̅ = 4.29, S.D. = 0.47). Conclusion: The nutritional therapy program was found to be both appropriate and effective in improving the nutritional status of cancer patients. It is recommended for integration into healthcare services providing nutritional care for oncology patients.