5033.0: Wednesday, October 24, 2001 - Board 6

Abstract #24461

Methodology for an in-home assessment of nutrition and functional capacity among a diverse home-delivered nutrition population: A partnership with community-based nutrition service providers

Joseph R. Sharkey, MPH, RD, Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Public Health, 810 Old Mill Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, 919.942.2882, aggie1@mindspring.com

Abstract Text Objectives: To prospectively examine the relationships among nutritional status, physical limitation, and disability among participants in the home-delivered nutrition program, we developed a partnership with four community-based nutrition service providers and a methodology for the in-home administration of a multi-component assessment. Methods: We describe the exclusion criteria and recruitment of 360 older adults from a random sample of 1,866 participants (40% Black and 70% female) in four home-delivered nutrition programs. The extensive in-home assessment included anthropometrics, health-related behaviors, self-rated health and function, stress events, living environment, burden of disease, falls, income adequacy, oral status, food security, nutrition-related physical tasks, depressive symptoms, social network and support, medications and medication self-management, Activities of Daily Living, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, self-coping strategies, seven tests of physical performance, and dietary intake. Results: Participation rate and comparisons between participants and non-participants (demographics, nutritional risk, ADL, and IADL) are reported, along with reasons for exclusion and refusal. All participants completed the baseline in-home assessment and three multiple-pass dietary recalls (1 face-to-face and 2 telephone-administered). Administration time, which was maintained for each of the in-home assessment components for all participants, is provided. Conclusions: This demonstrates the feasibility of developing a research partnership with community-based nutrition service providers for conducting an in-home assessment of nutritional status and functional capacity in a large sample of home-delivered nutrition participants. This will help nutrition service providers develop performance measures, nutrition policy, and nutrition-related programs that will benefit the older adults they serve.

Learning Objectives: To describe the methodology for a prospective, in-home assessment of nutrition and functional capacity among older adults who receive home-delivered nutrition service.

Keywords: Community-Based Care, Elderly

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA