NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF URBAN HOMEBOUND OLDER ADULTS

The purposes of this study were to assess comprehensively the nutritio nal status of frail older adults living in an urban area and to identi fy factors associated with nutritional insufficiency. Subjects were 49 adults aged greater than or equal to 65 y followed by the Jefferson C ounty Home Health Department. Twenty-nine percent of the women and 63% of the men had a body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) < 24. Nineteen per cent had serum albumin concentrations < 35 g/L (3.5 g/dL). More than o ne-half of the subjects reported symptoms of oral health problems. The key dependent variables were serum albumin concentration and BMI. In univariate analyses, a lower BMI correlated with oral symptoms, male s ex, increased age, and less education. Lower serum albumin concentrati ons were associated with advanced age, increased dependence in Activit ies of Daily Living (ADL), oral symptoms, and presence of a caregiver. A stepwise multiple-regression model for BMI and serum albumin showed that predictors of low BMI were increased age, less education, diffic ulty in chewing, and absence of dentures. Variables in the model for l ower serum albumin concentrations were sex, increased age, increased d ependence in ADLs, and wearing of dentures. In a secondary analysis th at controlled for age, education level, functional status, and sex, or al symptoms remained associated with lower BMI but not with lower seru m albumin concentrations. This study found a high prevalence of undern utrition in urban homebound older adults and suggests that oral health disability may affect nutritional status in this population.