[Factors related to nutritional status in geriatric patients receiving institutional and home care]

Malnourishment in the geriatric population is a common and serious situation that is often undiagnosed. This study aimed to compare nutritional status, measured by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), in the geriatric population institutionalized in residential centres and those included in the In-Home Assistance Program (IHAP) overseen by two urban-rural primary care teams, as well as to identify the factors related to the risk of malnourishment.

We performed a cross-sectional estimation study of the prevalence of malnourishment or risk of malnourishment according to different explanatory variables by means of a logistics model. A total of 102 institutionalized patients and 170 patients included in the IHAP aged more than 65 years old were analyzed.

No significant differences were found between institutionalized patients and those included in the IHAP by age, sex or pharmaceutical consumption, but differences were found in typology and the Barthel test. Chronic disease predominated in patients assisted at home (62.4%) and dementia in those who were institutionalized (39.2%). According to the MNA, malnourishment or risk of malnourishment was found in 67.6% of patients in the IHAP and in 93.1% of institutionalized patients. When adjustments were made for age and typology, correct nutritional status was 4.35 times more frequent in IHAP patients than in institutionalized patients.

The profile of patients at greater risk of compromised nutritional status or with established malnourishment includes those that are institutionalized, older than 74 years and/or with dementia. These patients should receive corrective or preventative measures for malnourishment.