Nutritional status in >65-year-old patients seen at Primary Care in Northern Galicia

Section: Originals

How to quote

Gómez-Besteiro MI, Conceiro-Rúa A, Pita-Vizoso R, Yera-Fachal C, Naveira-Barbeito G, Santiago-Pérez MI. Estado nutricional en mayores de 65 años atendidos en Atención Primaria en la zona norte de Galicia. Metas Enferm abr 2019; 22(3):20-8.

Authors

María I. Gómez-Besteiro1, Amalia Conceiro-Rúa2, Rosa Pita-Vizoso3, Carmen Yera-Fachal4, Gael Naveira-Barbeito5, Mª Isolina Santiago-Pérez5

Position

1Doctora en Medicina. Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería A Coruña. Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de A Coruña (XXIAC). Instituto Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC). A Coruña2Enfermera. Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería A Coruña. Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de A Coruña (XXIAC). Instituto Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC). A Coruña3Doctora. Enfermera. Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería A Coruña. Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de A Coruña (XXIAC). Instituto Investigación Biomédica (INIBIC). A Coruña 4Enfermera5Licenciada en Matemáticas. Dirección Xeral de Saúde Pública. Servicio de Epidemiología. Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña)

Contact address

María I. Gómez Besteiro. Escuela de Enfermería A Coruña. Campus de Oza. Universidad de A Coruña. C/ As Xubias, s/n. 15006 A Coruña

Abstract

Objective: to understand the nutritional status of the ≥65-year-old population non-institutionalized and independent, seen at Primary Care in Northern Galicia, and to identify any factors associated with the risk of malnutrition.
Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study in the ≥65-year-old population, non-institutionalized and independent, living in the health areas of A Coruña and Lugo. The sample was selected among those persons who came for a consultation (February to December, 2010). Trained nurses administered a questionnaire which included sociodemographical and anthropometric variables, as well as comorbidity, the Charlson comorbidity scale, and the Mini-Nutritional-Assessment scale. Descriptive statistical indexes were conducted, and multivariate logistical regression models, with the outcome variable Malnutrition and Risk of Malnutrition (MandRM).
Results: the final sample was of 1.196 persons, with 75.2 years as mean age (TD 0.2); 61% were women (n= 730). The prevalence of malnutrition was 0.17 (CI 95%: 0.02-0.60), and 15.5% for MandRM (CI 95%:13.4-17.5), similar in both genders. It was found that there was an increase in the risk (p< 0.05) of suffering MandRM in those who did not prepare their meals (OR 1.49 (CI 95%:1.01-2.21)), those who ate alone (OR 1.83 (CI 95%:1.07-3.14)), suffered two or more health conditions (OR 1.58 (CI 95%:1.04- 2.41)) or had been hospitalized during the past year (OR 2.16 (CI 95%: 1.30-3.58)). Each point of improvement in the subjective evaluation by the nurse of their health status represented a reduction in risk (OR 0.68 (CI 95%:0.60-0.76)).
Conclusions: the ≥65-year-old population, non-institutionalized, independent, and living in the Northern area of Galicia, presented an acceptable nutritional status, even though three of every 20 persons in this group are at risk of malnutrition. This situation is associated with social and clinical factors.

Keywords:

elderly person; malnutrition; nutritional status; nutritional epidemiology; independent life; descriptive cross-sectional study

Versión en Español

Título:

Estado nutricional en mayores de 65 años atendidos en Atención Primaria en la zona norte de Galicia