Community covariates of malnutrition based mortality among older adults.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to identify community level covariates of malnutrition-based mortality among older adults. A community level framework was delineated which explains rates of malnutrition-related mortality among older adults as a function of community levels of socioeconomic disadvantage, disability, and social isolation among members of this group.


METHODS
County level data on malnutrition mortality of people 65 years of age and older for the period 2000-2003 were drawn from the CDC WONDER system databases. County level measures of older adult socioeconomic disadvantage, disability, and social isolation were derived from the 2000 US Census of Population and Housing. Negative binomial regression models adjusting for the size of the population at risk, racial composition, urbanism, and region were estimated to assess the relationships among these indicators.


RESULTS
Results from negative binomial regression analysis yielded the following: a standard deviation increase in socioeconomic/physical disadvantage was associated with a 12% increase in the rate of malnutrition mortality among older adults (p < 0.001), whereas a standard deviation increase in social isolation was associated with a 5% increase in malnutrition mortality among older adults (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Community patterns of malnutrition based mortality among older adults are partly a function of levels of socioeconomic and physical disadvantage and social isolation among older adults.
Lee
Matthew R
MR
Department of Sociology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 70803, USA. mlee@lsu.edu
Berthelot
Emily R
ER
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011203:Poverty; D044469:Racial Groups; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012934:Social Isolation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014505:Urban Population