AlFehaidi Al Anoud Ali H Z, Khan Shafi Hashmath Ulla, Abdelrahman Rana Albdeljubbar, Ahel Nesreen Talal, Shine Pavithra, De Ramos Monica Doroja, Skairjeh Nisreen Mazin, Khan Shakeel Ahmad, Al-Saadi Reem Khalid
Department of Dietetics & Nutrition, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Al Khaleej Street, Doha, P.O. Box: 3050, Qatar.
Department of Geriatrics & Long-Term Care, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
BMC Nutr. 2024 Feb 1;10(1):23. doi: 10.1186/s40795-024-00827-z.
Malnutrition is a prevalent issue among older adults in long-term care facilities and is associated with adverse health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Identifying the predictors of malnutrition in this population is crucial for developing effective intervention strategies. This study aimed to explore the factors contributing to malnourishment among older individuals living in long-term care facilities in Qatar.
This cross-sectional study included 75 older adults from two long-term care facilities (Rumailah Hospital and Enaya Specialized Care Center) in Qatar. Baseline characteristics, including age, sex, length of stay, mortality, weight, body mass index, co-morbidities, and laboratory parameters, were assessed. Data were analyzed using the most recent version of the SPSS software, version 29. Predictors of malnutrition and mortality were identified using logistic regression analysis.
Of the 75 older individuals included in the study, 85% (64) were malnourished. The average age of the participants was 74.89 years, with a standard deviation of 10.21. Of all participants, approximately 61% (46) were males, and 39% (29) were females. Most malnourished older adults were classified as either at "moderate (29.69%)" or "severe risk (37.50%)," according to the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index. Malnourished participants experienced a significant percentage of weight change within 3 months (14.01 ± 7.89); the only statistically significant predictor of malnutrition was the percentage of weight change within 3 months with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.8 (confidence interval [CI] 1.56-14.75) and p-value of 0.006. Statistically significant predictors of mortality were malnutrition (OR 24.84, CI 1.09-564) and age (OR 1.07, CI 1.00-1.14).
A significant predictor of malnutrition in older adults identified in this study was the sudden and recent change in weight, which can be employed to detect individuals at risk early and guide tailored interventions. Malnutrition is a significant predictor of mortality. Employing a multidimensional strategy to tackle malnutrition can improve outcomes for the older individuals.
营养不良是长期护理机构中老年人普遍存在的问题，与不良健康后果及医疗成本增加相关。确定该人群营养不良的预测因素对于制定有效的干预策略至关重要。本研究旨在探讨卡塔尔长期护理机构中老年人营养不良的影响因素。
这项横断面研究纳入了来自卡塔尔两家长期护理机构（鲁迈拉医院和埃纳亚专科护理中心）的75名老年人。评估了基线特征，包括年龄、性别、住院时间、死亡率、体重、体重指数、合并症和实验室参数。使用最新版本的SPSS软件（版本29）进行数据分析。通过逻辑回归分析确定营养不良和死亡率的预测因素。
在纳入研究的75名老年人中，85%（64人）存在营养不良。参与者的平均年龄为74.89岁，标准差为10.21。所有参与者中，约61%（46人）为男性，39%（29人）为女性。根据老年营养风险指数，大多数营养不良的老年人被归类为“中度风险（29.69%）”或“重度风险（37.50%）”。营养不良的参与者在3个月内体重变化百分比显著（14.01±7.89）；唯一具有统计学意义的营养不良预测因素是3个月内体重变化百分比，比值比（OR）为4.8（置信区间[CI]1.56 - 14.75），p值为0.006。具有统计学意义的死亡率预测因素是营养不良（OR 24.84，CI 1.09 - 564）和年龄（OR 1.07，CI 1.00 - 1.14）。
本研究确定的老年人营养不良的一个重要预测因素是体重近期突然变化，这可用于早期发现高危个体并指导针对性干预。营养不良是死亡率的重要预测因素。采用多维策略解决营养不良问题可改善老年人的预后。
