Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 56. No. 4., 2017.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2017.56.04.17
Nutritional Issues and Nutrition Support in Older Home Care Patients in the City of Zagreb
Darija Vranešić Bender
orcid.org/0000-0001-7153-4753
; Zagreb University Hospital Center, Unit of Clinical Nutrition, Zagreb, Croatia
Marta Kovačević
; Croatian Medical Association, Zagreb, Croatia
Miro Hanževački
; Zagreb-Zapad Health Centre, Zagreb, Croatia
Božena Vrabec
; Zagreb-Zapad Health Centre, Zagreb, Croatia
Vanesa Benković
; Croatian Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Health Economics, Zagreb, Croatia
Viktor Domislović
; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Željko Krznarić
; Croatian Medical Association, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Population aging is a global demographic trend showing continuous growth and among its consequences is a rise in malnutrition that is characteristic for the elderly. The objective of this study was to evaluate nutritional status of elderly home care patients immediately after hospital discharge and to determine factors that affect nutritional status using questionnaires based on validated tools (NRS-2002, DETERMINE checklist) and basic medical history data. The study involved 76 elderly individuals (51.3% of them older than 70) living in the City of Zagreb. The nutritional status assessment using the NRS-2002 tool showed that 57.6% of the subjects were at nutritional risk. The findings of the assessment by use of the DETERMINE tool were also unfavorable, indicating that 82.1% of persons older than 70 were categorized as being at a high nutritional risk, while 17.9% were at moderate risk. The DETERMINE checklist elements (illness; reduced intake of fruits, vegetables or dairy products; alcohol consumption; oral health problems; and weight loss) were linked to a higher NRS score. The mean number of hospital days in subjects at nutritional risk was 14.27 (the mean number in the Republic of Croatia is 8.56 days). Although the study involved a small number of subjects, the results showed a substantial presence of malnutrition among the elderly. A timely intervention by the healthcare system and training of healthcare personnel can be a step towards achieving a better nutritional status.
Keywords
Nutritional status; Nutrition assessment; Elderly person; Malnutrition; Surveys and questionnaires; Home care services
Hrčak ID:
195452
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2017.
Visits: 2.597 *