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Nutritional status in chronically-ill elderly patients. Is it related to quality of life?

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life in chronically-ill elderly patients and its relationship with parameters concerning the patients’ nutritional status.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

Primary health-care centres in Jaen, Spain.

Participants

A total of 168 chronically-ill elderly outpatients aged from 65 to 89 years.

Measurements

Quality of life was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. A nutritional assessment was undertaken including socio-demographic variables, anthropometric measurements (body-mass index and calf circumference), functional evaluation (Barthel index and Folstein mini-mental status test) and a dietetic questionnaire. The mini-nutritional assessment test was used as an assessment tool to detect nutritional risk.

Results

Quality of life in chronically-ill elderly subjects, as determined by the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, which diminishes with age, is independent of anthropometric parameters and a statistically significant difference was found between gender, socio-demographic characteristics, functional capacity, nutritional status and the kind of chronic disease (p<0.05).

Conclusion

The relationship between the quality of life with the patients’ socio-demographic characteristics, functional capacity and nutritional status underlines the importance of taking these factors into account in the management of chronically ill patients, especially women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

    R. Artacho, C. Lujano, A. B. Sanchez-Vico, C. Vargas Sanchez, J. Gonzalez Calvo & M. D. Ruiz-López

  2. Departamento de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

    P. R. Bouzas

  3. Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

    M. D. Ruiz-López

  4. Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Granada, Campus Universitario La Cartuja, 18071, Granada, España

    M. D. Ruiz-López

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  1. R. Artacho
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  2. C. Lujano
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  3. A. B. Sanchez-Vico
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  4. C. Vargas Sanchez
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Correspondence to M. D. Ruiz-López.

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Artacho, R., Lujano, C., Sanchez-Vico, A.B. et al. Nutritional status in chronically-ill elderly patients. Is it related to quality of life?. J Nutr Health Aging 18, 192–197 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-013-0385-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-013-0385-0

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