Food Insecurity and Clinical Outcomes in Surgical Trauma Patients.
Anam N Ehsan1, Annabelle Jones1, Shivangi Saha2
1Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
JAMA Surgery
|March 5, 2025
Summary
Food insecurity significantly increases postoperative complications and hospital stays in surgical trauma patients. Screening for food insecurity and interventions like medically tailored meals can improve surgical outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Surgical Outcomes
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Food insecurity affects over 1.3 billion globally, with recognized impacts on primary care but underexplored effects on surgical outcomes.
- The influence of food insecurity on surgical patient recovery and complications requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between food insecurity and postoperative clinical outcomes in adult surgical trauma patients.
- To determine if preoperative or new-onset postoperative food insecurity impacts surgical recovery.
Main Methods:
- Prospective longitudinal cohort study across 3 tertiary care centers in India (October 2021-June 2023).
- Adult surgical trauma patients surveyed at admission and 1, 3 months postoperatively using the Hunger Vital Sign tool.
- Outcomes assessed included postoperative complications and length of stay.
Main Results:
- Food insecurity was reported by 21% of 848 patients.
- Patients with food insecurity had higher complication rates (41.4% vs 12.5%) and longer hospital stays (13 vs 5 days).
- New-onset food insecurity post-discharge increased the risk of later complications.
Conclusions:
- Food insecurity is significantly linked to worse postoperative outcomes in surgical trauma patients.
- Routine screening for food insecurity and interventions such as medically tailored meals are recommended to mitigate adverse surgical outcomes.
- Addressing food insecurity is crucial for improving surgical patient recovery and reducing healthcare burdens.
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