Effects of nutrition, depression symptoms and demographic characteristics on dementia in the elderly population

Authors : Sadik TASER, Ruhusen KUTLU, Nazan KARAOGLU

Pages : 132-139

Doi:10.5472/marumj.939806

View : 13 | Download : 4

Publication Date : 2021-05-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Objective: Due to the increase in the elderly population, there is an increase in chronic diseases, infections, depression , and nutritional problems as well as a decrease in cognitive abilities. This study aimed to investigate the effects of nutritional status, depression symptoms and demographic characteristics on dementia in the elderly population. Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional analytic study which took place between first day of April to first day of June in 2018 in three family health centers selected by simple random sampling from random numbers table in Konya, Turkey. Mini Nutritional Assessment normal insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(MNA); and short form insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(MNA-SF);, Geriatric Depression Scale-30 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(GDS-30); and the Standardized Mini-Mental Test insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(SMMT); was applied to 298 elderly people. Results: Mild dementia was found in 11.4% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(n=34); and, depression symptoms were detected in 5.7% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(n=17); of total. MNA-SF showed that 15.8% were under the risk of malnutrition while 2.3% had malnutrition. MNA-SF total score insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=0.004); was significantly higher in males than in females showing that there was more cognitive impairment in women than men. There was a significant relationship between the presence of dementia and gender insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=0.048);, age groups insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=0.006);, education insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p<0.001);, MNA-SF insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=0.012); and MNA insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=0.002);. Conclusion: The frequency of dementia was higher in women, in low educated, depressive and aged ones and in those with malnutrition. Regarding dementia, depression and malnutrition in the elderly in primary care; it is important to use well designed specific scales to these conditions for early diagnosis.
Keywords : Nutrition, Depression symptoms, Standard Mini Mental Test, Elderly