Publication details

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Frail older adults are at risk for poor nutrition and frequently experience declining healthrelated quality of life (HR-QOL). The relationship between nutritional risk and HR-QOL although intuitive, has been rarely studied. OBJECTIVE: To determine the independent association of nutritional risk with HR-QOL in frail older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. Data were collected by interviewer-administered questionnaire. Nutritional risk was measured by SCREEN (Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition) and HR-QOL by perceived health status and report of number of days in the past month where physical or mental health was not good, or where activities were limited. Frail (n=367) seniors were recruited from 23 community service providers. A wide variety of covariates were also measured. Multivariate modeling based on a conceptual model was used to identify factors associated with HR-QOL. RESULTS: Nutritional risk appears to be a significant and important factor associated with HR-QOL. Other significant covariates were: falls, social supports, social activity, health behaviours, pain and medication use. CONCLUSION: Nutritional risk as measured by SCREEN appears to be a significant covariate in explaining differences in HRQOL among frail older adults. Further work should determine if nutritional risk predicts changes in HR-QOL over time

Abstract Link: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=15316589

Keywords: Age Factors;Aged;Aged,80 and over;Cross-Sectional Studies;Female;Frail Elderly;Geriatric Assessment;Health Status;Health Surveys;Humans;Male;Mass Screening;Middle Aged;Nutrition Assessment;Nutrition Surveys;Nutritional Status;Ontario;Quality of Life;Quest????

New search