Assessing Nutritional Status and Frailty among Poor Elderly Individuals in Requena del Tapiche, Peru
Frailty is a biological syndrome that leads to a loss of physiological reserve, increasing susceptibility to adverse health events. In the Peruvian Amazon, the elderly live with hardly any economic resources, presenting a caloric deficit that is related to functional and cognitive deterioration. Our...
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/17/3840 |
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| author | María Teresa Murillo-Llorente Blanca Lafuente-Sarabia Jennifer Samper de la Paz Merita Flores-Púa Manuel Tejeda-Adell María Ester Legidos-García Marcelino Perez-Bermejo |
| author_facet | María Teresa Murillo-Llorente Blanca Lafuente-Sarabia Jennifer Samper de la Paz Merita Flores-Púa Manuel Tejeda-Adell María Ester Legidos-García Marcelino Perez-Bermejo |
| author_sort | María Teresa Murillo-Llorente |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Frailty is a biological syndrome that leads to a loss of physiological reserve, increasing susceptibility to adverse health events. In the Peruvian Amazon, the elderly live with hardly any economic resources, presenting a caloric deficit that is related to functional and cognitive deterioration. Our objective was to identify the health needs of elderly people living in extreme poverty in Requena (Peru) by means of a geriatric assessment of the nutritional and functional spheres to design, in the future, a cooperation project appropriate to the needs detected. This is an observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study. Sixty participants were included, and sociodemographic and functional status variables were analyzed using the MNA and Barthel scales and the Get Up and Go test. The mean age of the participants was 79 ± 6.67 (women 55% and men 45%), where 60% had frailty. A statistically significant relationship was found between the MNA scores and Barthel test. Eighty-five percent were malnourished or at risk and thirteen percent had total or moderate dependence. We conclude that the nutritional status of the elderly was deficient. The high degree of living alone in which they live forces them to maintain their independence and their walking stability is normal. The situation of frailty exceeds the national average, a situation that has repercussions for their quality of life. We found a statistically significant association between nutritional status, dependence, and frailty. The better-nourished elderly are less frail and less dependent. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:15:04Z |
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| id | doaj.art-20f9de163a5042d096a7283c4595b49f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:15:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-20f9de163a5042d096a7283c4595b49f2023-11-19T08:39:52ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432023-09-011517384010.3390/nu15173840Assessing Nutritional Status and Frailty among Poor Elderly Individuals in Requena del Tapiche, PeruMaría Teresa Murillo-Llorente0Blanca Lafuente-Sarabia1Jennifer Samper de la Paz2Merita Flores-Púa3Manuel Tejeda-Adell4María Ester Legidos-García5Marcelino Perez-Bermejo6SONEV Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, C/Quevedo nº 2, 46001 Valencia, SpainSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, C/Quevedo nº 2, 46001 Valencia, SpainSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, C/Quevedo nº 2, 46001 Valencia, SpainNurse Coordinator of the “Padre Nicolás Giner” Health Cente, Requena del Tapiche 16341, PeruSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, C/Quevedo nº 2, 46001 Valencia, SpainSONEV Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, C/Quevedo nº 2, 46001 Valencia, SpainSONEV Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir, C/Quevedo nº 2, 46001 Valencia, SpainFrailty is a biological syndrome that leads to a loss of physiological reserve, increasing susceptibility to adverse health events. In the Peruvian Amazon, the elderly live with hardly any economic resources, presenting a caloric deficit that is related to functional and cognitive deterioration. Our objective was to identify the health needs of elderly people living in extreme poverty in Requena (Peru) by means of a geriatric assessment of the nutritional and functional spheres to design, in the future, a cooperation project appropriate to the needs detected. This is an observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study. Sixty participants were included, and sociodemographic and functional status variables were analyzed using the MNA and Barthel scales and the Get Up and Go test. The mean age of the participants was 79 ± 6.67 (women 55% and men 45%), where 60% had frailty. A statistically significant relationship was found between the MNA scores and Barthel test. Eighty-five percent were malnourished or at risk and thirteen percent had total or moderate dependence. We conclude that the nutritional status of the elderly was deficient. The high degree of living alone in which they live forces them to maintain their independence and their walking stability is normal. The situation of frailty exceeds the national average, a situation that has repercussions for their quality of life. We found a statistically significant association between nutritional status, dependence, and frailty. The better-nourished elderly are less frail and less dependent.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/17/3840elderlymalnutritionmobility limitationfrail elderlydependencyPeru |
| spellingShingle | María Teresa Murillo-Llorente Blanca Lafuente-Sarabia Jennifer Samper de la Paz Merita Flores-Púa Manuel Tejeda-Adell María Ester Legidos-García Marcelino Perez-Bermejo Assessing Nutritional Status and Frailty among Poor Elderly Individuals in Requena del Tapiche, Peru Nutrients elderly malnutrition mobility limitation frail elderly dependency Peru |
| title | Assessing Nutritional Status and Frailty among Poor Elderly Individuals in Requena del Tapiche, Peru |
| title_full | Assessing Nutritional Status and Frailty among Poor Elderly Individuals in Requena del Tapiche, Peru |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Nutritional Status and Frailty among Poor Elderly Individuals in Requena del Tapiche, Peru |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Nutritional Status and Frailty among Poor Elderly Individuals in Requena del Tapiche, Peru |
| title_short | Assessing Nutritional Status and Frailty among Poor Elderly Individuals in Requena del Tapiche, Peru |
| title_sort | assessing nutritional status and frailty among poor elderly individuals in requena del tapiche peru |
| topic | elderly malnutrition mobility limitation frail elderly dependency Peru |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/17/3840 |
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