Table 2 Main characteristics of selected studies

Bonaccorsi, 2015 [35]

Italy

67 NHs; 2395 participants

Cross-sectional survey

To describe the quality indicators of nutritional care in older residents in a sample of NHs in Tuscany, Italy, and to evaluate the predictors of protein-energy malnutrition risk.

Dyck, 2007 [39]

USA

2948 NHs for malnutrition; 364,339 residents

Cross-sectional analysis of two data sets

To examine the relationships between nursing staffing and the nursing home resident outcome on weight loss and dehydratation .

Halfens, 2013 [30]

The Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland

211 hospitals (20,232 patients); 165 NHs (6969 residents)

Cross-sectional multicentre study.

To measure care problems (including malnutrition) in terms of prevalence rates, prevention, treatment, and quality indicators in healthcare organizations in the Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland.

Hjaltadottir, 2012 [27]

Iceland

Panel for Delphi method: 12 experts; 47 NHs (2247 participants)

Two rounds Delphi study and observational study

To determine upper and lower thresholds of Minimum Data Set quality indicators for Icelandic NHs.

Hurtado, 2016 [40]

USA

30 NHs

Prospective ecological study

To examine whether quality of care in NHs was predicted by schedule control (workers’ ability to decide work hours), independent of other staffing characteristics.

Lee, 2014 [41]

USA

195 NHs

Cross-sectional analysis of five data sets

To examine the association of registered nurse staffing hours and five quality indicators, including process and outcome measures.

Meijers, 2009 [59]

The Netherlands

50 hospitals, 90 NHs, 16 care homes, and 20,255 participants

Cross-sectional multicentre study

To investigate screening, treatment, and other quality indicators of nutritional care in Dutch healthcare organizations.

Meijers, 2014 [36]

The Netherlands

74 Care homes (41 participated four times,33 five times); 26,046 participants (2007–2011)

Cross-sectional study

To analyse the trend of malnutrition prevalence rates between 2007 and 2011 in Dutch care homes and the effect of process and structural indicators on malnutrition prevalence rates.

Moore, 2014 [31]

Australia

Four Residential Aged Care (RAC)

Cross-sectional study

To explore relationships among the Victorian Public Sector RAC Services quality indicators and other demographic and health-related issues.

Rantz, 2009 [29]

USA

492 NHs

Before-after observational study

To present and discuss the evaluation of the Quality Improvement Program of Missouri in 2006, using some outcome indicators.

Schönherr, 2012 [32]

Austria

18 NHs (1487 participants); 18 hospitals (2326 participants)

Multicentre cross-sectional study

To describe and compare structural and process indicators of nutritional care in Austrian hospitals and NHs.

Shin, 2015 [42]

Korea

150 NHs

Cross-sectional study

To investigate the relationship between nurse staffing and quality of care in NHs in Korea.

Simmons, 2006 [28]

USA

1 NHs (48 beds)

Before-after observational study

To train long-term care staff in conducting continuous quality improvement (CQI) related to nutritional care.

Simmons, 2007 [44]

USA

7 NHs

Cross-sectional study

To assess the impact of Paid Feeding Assistant (PFA) programmes on feeding assistance care process quality.

Van Nie, 2014 [37]

The Netherlands, Germany and Austria

214 NHs 19,876 residents

Multicentre cross-sectional study

To identify structural quality indicators of nutritional care that influence the outcome of quality of care in terms of prevalence of malnutrition and effect of possible differences between malnutrition prevalence in Dutch, German, and Austrian NHs.

van Nie-Visser, 2011 [33]

The Netherlands and Germany

151 NHs, 10,771 participants

Multicentre cross-sectional study

To investigate possible differences in malnutrition prevalence rates in Dutch and German NHs, as well as in structural and process indicators for nutritional care

van Nie-Visser, 2014 [34]

The Netherlands, Germany and Austria

214 NHs; 19,876 residents

Multicentre cross-sectional study

To investigate possible differences in malnutrition prevalence rates in Austrian, Dutch, and German NHs, as well as in structural and process indicators for nutritional care; to investigate whether resident characteristics influence possible differences in malnutrition prevalence between countries.

van Nie-Visser, 2015 [38]

The Netherlands, Germany and Austria

214 NH; 22,886 participants,

Multicentre cross-sectional study

To explore whether structural quality indicators for nutritional care influence malnutrition prevalence in Dutch, German, and Austrian NHs

Werner, 2013 [43]

USA

16,623 NHs

Cross- sectional study using 2 data sets

To test how changes in NH processes improve outcomes of care.