Background and objective: Older adults often suffer from psychological, functional and health-related diseases. Literature has documented the relationship between malnutrition in institutionalized older people with health outcomes like delayed recovery, increased susceptibility to infections and increased risk of death. Yet, there is a need for such research in the Palestinian context. This study aims to examine the relationship between malnutrition and the cognitive, functional, and psychological status of older adults living in long-term care houses in Palestine.

Methodology: The study employed the quantitative cross-sectional research design, and 99 older adults from 7 nursing homes in 6 different cities across the West Bank, Palestine, participated in the study. The nutritional status of the older adults was assessed using anthropometric measurements and meal patterns. The malnutrition risk was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form; the cognitive function using the Mini Mental Status Examination; the functional status using the Activity of Daily Living; and the psychological status using the Geriatric Depression Scale.

Results: A total of 99 participants (45.5% men and 54.5%) women) with a mean age of 70.7 ±8.6 years were included in the final data analysis. The results revealed that 47% of the participants were at risk of malnutrition, while 23% were malnourished. A significant association was only found between malnutrition and male gender, a higher score of depressive symptoms, and impaired cognitive function, p<0.05 using chi square test. Greater dependency level was significantly associated with a high risk of malnutrition, p<0.05 using One Way ANOVA test.

In conclusion: The risk of malnutrition was common among the study sample, and it was associated with impaired cognitive, psychological, and functional status. Hence, there is a need to provide older adults living in long-term care houses with health programs to enhance their overall health and decrease their level of dependency.

Conference Title

First jordanian International conference of nutrition

Conference Country

Jordan

Conference Date

Nov. 16, 2017 - Nov. 18, 2017

Conference Sponsor

events cons

Additional Info

Conference Website