[Malnutrition and social isolation among elderly residents of city public housing].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine relations between malnutrition and social isolation among elderly residents of a city public housing facility.


METHODS
The present participants were 442 residents aged 65 and older of a public housing facility in Nagoya city. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted regarding demographics, nutritional status, and social isolation. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment(®)-Short Form (MNA(®)). Combining "at risk for malnutrition" and "malnutrition," the status was classified into two groups: "normal nutrition" and "at risk for malnutrition." Social isolation was examined using the Japanese version of the abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6), which was divided into isolation (less than 12 points) and non-isolation (more than 12 points). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess association between malnutrition and isolation by adjusting for the following possible confounders: age, sex, living alone, self-rated economic conditions, housebound, loneliness, eligible for Long-Term Care Insurance, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (TMIG) Index of Competence.


RESULTS
Among 343 respondents (77.6%), the number of valid responses was 288 (65.2%)-121 men and 167 women. The average age was 74.7±6.1 years old (mean±standard deviation), ranging from 65 to 98. Based on the LSNS-6, social isolation was encountered in 44.1%. According to the MNA(®) classification, 171 (59.4%) were classified as "normal nutritional status," 108 (37.5%) as "at risk for malnutrition," and 9 (3.1%) as "malnutrition." "At risk for malnutrition" and "malnutrition" were found in 40.6% in this study. Multivariate logistic analyses showed that risk factors for malnutrition were social isolation (OR=2.52, 95% CI; 1.44-4.41) and poor economic conditions (OR=1.98, 95% CI; 1.15-3.41). Significant interaction between age and living alone suggested that elderly individuals over 75 years of age who live alone were also at risk for malnutrition.


CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed that malnutrition of elderly individuals was associated with social isolation and poor economic conditions as well as age over 75 and living alone. Malnutrition and social isolation can be prevalent in elderly residents of city public housing facilities. Measures of social isolation as well as nutritional support are necessary for health promotion and preventive care of the elderly.
Nagoya Graduate School of Medicine, Nursing for development Health, Nursing.
Kiyomi
K
Arai
Hisataka
H
Sakakibara
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D011638:Public Housing; D012934:Social Isolation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires