RESEARCH PAPER
Assessment of risk of malnutrition among elderly patients covered with primary health care from the aspect of risk of falling
1
Samodzielna Pracownia Podstawowej Opieki Zdrowotnej, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Pomorski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Szczecinie
Corresponding author
Magdalena Sylwia Kamińska
Samodzielna Pracownia Podstawowej Opieki Zdrowotnej, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Pomorski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Szczecinie, ul. Żołnierska 48, 71-210 Szczecin tel.: (091) 48-00-973
Samodzielna Pracownia Podstawowej Opieki Zdrowotnej, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Pomorski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Szczecinie, ul. Żołnierska 48, 71-210 Szczecin tel.: (091) 48-00-973
Med Og Nauk Zdr. 2013;19(4):544-548
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Proper nutrition is one of the most important factors affecting the maintenance of health. Malnutrition may play an important role in the etiology of falls, as it involves muscle weakness, makes it difficult to maintain balance and favours gait instability. Among the elderly, both malnutrition and falls contribute to the growth of disability, morbidity and mortality.
Aim:
The aim of this study is to assess the risk of falls and nutritional status in geriatric patients, as well as to analyze correlations between nutritional status and such variables as: the risk of falls, fall history, age and gender.
Material and Methods:
The research group comprised 120 patients of a chosen health care department providing health service in outpatients clinics. The mean age was 74.3 years. The chosen method for research was a diagnostic survey based on the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and the Tinetti Test (TT) used for determining and assessing the balance and walk.
Results:
There was a significant positive correlation between the assessment of malnutrition (MNA) and fall risk assessment (TT) (rs=0.27; p=0.03). The occurrence of fall in an interview significantly correlated with assessments of MNA and TT (rs=0.24; p=0.001). Only in the age group over 75, a significant positive correlation was found between the MNA and the TT (rs=0.28; p=0.03); also, only in this group a significant negative correlation between age and the TT values was found (rs=-0.31; p=0.0001). For both females and males a significant correlation was confirmed between the assessment of risk of malnutrition according to the MNA and the fall risk assessment by the TT (respectively rs=0.26; p=0.02 and rs=0.34; p=0.04).
Conclusions:
1. With increased risk of malnutrition the risk of falling increases, this relationship is independent of gender and affects mainly patients with advanced geriatric age. 2. There is a statistically significant correlation between the fall in the interview and the increased risk of malnutrition and risk of a fall. 3. Due to the aging population, the incidence of malnutrition and falls constitute a significant health problem among the primary health care patients, assessment of nutritional status and risk of falls should therefore be an important element of comprehensive geriatric assessment.
Proper nutrition is one of the most important factors affecting the maintenance of health. Malnutrition may play an important role in the etiology of falls, as it involves muscle weakness, makes it difficult to maintain balance and favours gait instability. Among the elderly, both malnutrition and falls contribute to the growth of disability, morbidity and mortality.
Aim:
The aim of this study is to assess the risk of falls and nutritional status in geriatric patients, as well as to analyze correlations between nutritional status and such variables as: the risk of falls, fall history, age and gender.
Material and Methods:
The research group comprised 120 patients of a chosen health care department providing health service in outpatients clinics. The mean age was 74.3 years. The chosen method for research was a diagnostic survey based on the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and the Tinetti Test (TT) used for determining and assessing the balance and walk.
Results:
There was a significant positive correlation between the assessment of malnutrition (MNA) and fall risk assessment (TT) (rs=0.27; p=0.03). The occurrence of fall in an interview significantly correlated with assessments of MNA and TT (rs=0.24; p=0.001). Only in the age group over 75, a significant positive correlation was found between the MNA and the TT (rs=0.28; p=0.03); also, only in this group a significant negative correlation between age and the TT values was found (rs=-0.31; p=0.0001). For both females and males a significant correlation was confirmed between the assessment of risk of malnutrition according to the MNA and the fall risk assessment by the TT (respectively rs=0.26; p=0.02 and rs=0.34; p=0.04).
Conclusions:
1. With increased risk of malnutrition the risk of falling increases, this relationship is independent of gender and affects mainly patients with advanced geriatric age. 2. There is a statistically significant correlation between the fall in the interview and the increased risk of malnutrition and risk of a fall. 3. Due to the aging population, the incidence of malnutrition and falls constitute a significant health problem among the primary health care patients, assessment of nutritional status and risk of falls should therefore be an important element of comprehensive geriatric assessment.
REFERENCES (25)
1.
Wojszel BZ. Niedożywienie i dylematy leczenia żywieniowego w geriatrii. Post Nauk Med 2011; 8: 649–657.
2.
Kostka T, Koziarska-Rościszewska M. Choroby wieku podeszłego. Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL, Warszawa 2009: 103–108.
3.
Babiarczyk B. Monitorowanie stanu odżywienia osób starszych hospitalizowanych na oddziałach oraz w zakładach opieki krótko- i długoterminowej. Gerontol Pol 2008; 16: 18–24.
4.
Santomauro F, Olimpi N, Baggiani L i wsp. Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis and Mini Nutritional Assessment in elderly nursing home residents. J Nutr Health Aging 2011; 15(3): 163–167.
5.
Lei Z, Qingyi D, Feng G i wsp. Clinical study of mini-nutritional assessment for older chinese inpatients. J Nutr Health Aging. 2009; 871–875.
6.
Oliveira M, Fogaça K, Leandro-MerhiVânia A. Nutritional status and functional capacity of hospitalized elderly. Nutr J 2009: 54 61.
7.
Soini H, Routasalo P, Lagström H. Characteristics of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment in elderly home-care patients. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004; 58(1): 64–70.
8.
Pai KM. Comparative study of nutritional status of elderly population living in the home for aged vs those living in the community. Biomedical Research 2011; 22(1): 120–126.
9.
Vivanti A, Ward N, Haines T. Nutritional status and associations with falls, balance, mobility and functionality during hospital admission. J Nutr Health Aging 2011: 15(5): 388–391.
10.
Strugała M, Wieczorowska-Tobis K. Ocena stanu odżywienia pacjentów Oddziału Geriatrycznego w kontekście ich sprawności funkcjonalnej. Geriatria 2011; 5: 89–93.
11.
Jung YM, Kim JH. Comparison of cognitive levels, nutritional status, depression in the elderly according to living situations. Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi 2004; 34(3): 495–503.
12.
Iizaka S, Tadaka E, Sanada H. Comprehensive assessment of nutritional status and associated factors in the healthy, community-dwelling elderly. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2008; 8(1): 24–31.
13.
Visvanathan R, Zaiton A, Sherina MS i wsp. The nutritional status of 1081 elderly people residing in publicly funded shelter homes in Peninsular Malaysia. Eur J Clin Nutr 2005; 59: 318–324.
14.
Biderman A, Cwikel J, Fried AV i wsp. Depression and falls among community dwelling elderly people: a search for common risk factors. J Epidemiol Community Health 2002; 56: 631–636.
15.
Turcu A, Toubin S, Mourey F i wsp. Falls and depression in older people. Gerontology 2004; 50(5): 303–308.
16.
Robbins J, Hirsch C, Whitmer R. The association of bone mineral density and depression in an older population. J Am Geriatr Soc 2001; 49: 732–736.
17.
Saletti A, Lindgren EY, Johansson L i wsp. Nutritional status according to mini nutritional assessment in an institutionalized elderly population in Sweden. Gerontology 2000; 46(3): 139–145.
18.
Aliabadi M, Kimiagar M, Ghayour-Mobarhan M i wsp. Prevalence of malnutrition in free living elderly people in Iran: a cross-sectional study. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2008; 17(2): 285–289.
19.
Kucukerdonmez O, Koksal E, Rakicioglu N i wsp. Assessment and evaluation of the nutritional status of the elderly using 2 different instruments. Saudi Med J. 2005; 26(10): 1611–1616.
20.
Skalska A, Walczewska J, Ocetkiewicz T. Wiek, płeć i aktywność fizyczna osób zgłaszających upadki oraz okoliczności ich występowania. Rehabil Med 2003; 7(3): 49–53.
21.
Ishimoto Y, Wada T, Hirosaki M i wsp. Age and sex significantly influence fall risk in community – dwelling elderly people in Japan. J Am Geriatr Soc 2009; 57(5): 930–932.
22.
Cegła B, Faleńczyk K, Ślusarz R. Ocena ryzyka wystąpienia upadków u osób w starszym wieku. Valetudinaria – Post Med Klin Wojsk 2006; 11(1): 67–73.
23.
Wojszel ZB. Determinants of nutritional status of older people in long- -term care settings on the example of the nursing home in Białystok. Adv Med Sci 2006; 51: 168–173.
24.
Borowiak E, Barylska A. Problemy seniorów przebywających w Domu Dziennego Pobytu wyzwaniem dla pielęgniarki. Prob Pielęg 2007; 15: 13–19.
25.
Feldblum I, German L, Castel H, et al. Characteristics of undernourished older medical patients and the identification of predictors for undernutrition status. Nutr J 2007; 6: 37–45.
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
| eISSN: | 2084-4905 |
| ISSN: | 2083-4543 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
