Which term describes documenting medical history that can affect nutrition?

• A. PMH/PSH
• B. Aphasia
• C. Labs
• D. Nutritional Assessment Components

Answer: (A)

Documenting medical history that can affect nutrition involves capturing past illnesses and prior surgeries because these experiences influence current nutritional risk, needs, and care planning. The term for this documentation is Past Medical History and Past Surgical History, abbreviated PMH/PSH. Knowing what conditions a patient has had (like diabetes, kidney or liver disease, cancer, or malabsorption issues) and what surgeries they've undergone (such as gastrointestinal resections) helps identify factors that can alter appetite, digestion, absorption, metabolism, and nutrient requirements, guiding targeted nutrition interventions and malnutrition screening. Aphasia is about a language impairment and doesn’t describe the history component; labs are about test results rather than history; and Nutritional Assessment Components refers to the broader set of elements in a nutrition assessment, not the specific documentation of medical history that can affect nutrition.