ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 348
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Assessment of undernutrition and its correlates among
elderly patients attending the general outpatient clinic of
Federal Medical Centre, Keffi
Dr Sonny John Kumbet
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nasarawa, Nigeria
Background
Globally, the number of elderly people is on a steady increase. Epidemiological studies show that
11% of the world’s population is over 60 years of age, with a projected increase of 22% by 2050.
Undernutrition, a form of malnutrition is a state in which a deficiency of nutrients which cause
measurable adverse effects on body composition, function or clinical outcome – multisystemic effects
in the elderly.
Objective
This study aims to determine the level of undernutrition and its correlates among the elderly in order to
form the basis for intervention and treatment on nutritional problems in the elderly.
Study design/setting
A cross-sectional study involving 122 elderly study participants attending.
Methods
In all, 122 participants were recruited into this study through a systematic sampling technique after
obtaining a written informed consent from them. Data collected from the study participants included
sociodemographic data, malnutrition indicator, family functioning and depression scores.
Results
The mean age of the study participants was 67.5 ± 7.2 years. The prevalence of undernutrition was
25.81%, with 54.8% of them at risk of undernutrition. There were significant correlations of age (r =
–0.256; P = 0.01), quantity of full meal consumed per day (r = 0.31; P =0.01), fluid intake per day (r =
0.27; P = 0.03), mobility (r = 0.41; P at 0.00), BMI (r = 0.53; P at 0.00); polypharmacy (r = 0.23; P at
0.01), calf circumference (r = 0.20; P at 0.03); presence of pressure ulcers (r = 0.50; P at 0.00), selfview of nutritional state (r = 0.54; P = 0.000) and depression scores (r = –0.26 p = 0.010) with the level
of undernutrition.
Conclusion
This study found the prevalence of undernutrition and determinants in the elderly to be high, which
underscores the need for nutritional interventions to help curtail this menace.
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