Malnutrition as a Risk Factor for Falls and Respiratory Infections in Nursing Home Residents

TL;DR

This study found that malnutrition in nursing home residents is linked to more respiratory infections but not to falls, emphasizing the need for nutritional monitoring.

Contribution

The study highlights the association between malnutrition and respiratory infections in older adults in nursing homes.

Findings

Seven participants (4.7%) were malnourished, and 53 (35.8%) were at risk of malnutrition.

Malnutrition and nutritional risk were associated with respiratory infections (r=-0.37).

No correlation was found between malnutrition and falls (r=0.01).

Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of malnutrition and its association with the frequency of falls and respiratory infections among older adults residing in Croatian nursing homes.

Materials and methods

The study included 148 participants, 112 (75.7%) women and 36 (24.3%) men, aged 65 years and older, living in the nursing homes in Rijeka and Opatija. The Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) and data from the medical records were used for data collection.

Results

The study showed that seven (4.7%) of the older adults living in nursing homes were malnourished, while 53 (35.8%) were at risk of malnutrition. It was found that participants with malnutrition and nutritional risk were more likely to develop respiratory infections (r=-0.37). No correlation was found between malnutrition and the frequency of falls in older adults (r=0.01).

Conclusion

Malnutrition and the risk of malnutrition are common problems in older adults in nursing homes, requiring regular monitoring and timely intervention. The results confirmed the association between malnutrition and respiratory tract infections, while also highlighting the possibility of co-occurrence of obesity and malnutrition, which is often overlooked.