Nutritional Status and Its Contributing Factors among Older Adults with Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy

Abstract

The study aimed to assess nutritional status and its contributing factors among older adults with cancer receiving chemotherapy so, a descriptive study design was used. The study was conducted at Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt. The study’s sample was selected purposively which composed of 194 older adults. Nutritional status was measured by the Arabic version of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Contributing factors were identified by examining the relationship of nutritional status with demographic and clinical variables. Study results revealed that 33% of the older patients were malnourished and 51.5% were at risk for malnutrition. Statistically significant relations were found between nutritional status and advanced age, illiteracy, insufficient monthly income, comorbidities, cancer stage four at diagnosis, and receiving ≥4 chemotherapy cycles. High prevalence of malnutrition and many contributing factors were identified among older patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy. So, continuous malnutrition screening along chemotherapy courses with special concern for contributing factors assessed in this study is recommended.

Prevalence of malnutrition among old age people in Africa

“…Seven studies (18.9%) were from Ethiopia ( Tessfamichael et al, 2014 ; Hailemariam et al, 2016 ; Diendéré et al, 2018 ; Abdu et al, 2019 ; Adhana et al, 2019 ; Legesse et al, 2019 ; Abate et al, 2020 ) and six studies (16.2%) each from Egypt ( Khater and Abouelezz, 2011 ; Esmayel et al, 2013 ; Mahfouz et al, 2013 ; El-sherbiny et al, 2016 ; El-desouky and Abed, 2017 ; Allah et al, 2020 ) and Nigeria ( Olasunbo and Olubode, 2006 ; Adebusoye et al, 2012 ; Abd-el-gawad et al, 2014 ; Alao et al, 2015 ; Adebusoye et al, 2018 ; Adebusoye et al, 2019 ). While five studies (13.5%) were from South Africa ( Marais et al, 2007 ; Mkhize et al, 2013 ; Naidoo et al, 2015 ; OC et al, 2015 ; Robb et al, 2017 ), four studies (10.8%) were from the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Republic of Congo ( Andre et al, 2013 ; Rouvray et al, 2014 ; Pilleron et al, 2015 ; Jésus et al, 2017 ) three studies (8.1%) from Ghana ( Aganiba et al, 2015 ; Agbozo et al, 2018 ; Apprey et al, 2019 ), and two studies (6.06%) were from Tanzania ( Nyaruhucha et al, 2001 ; Ijarotimi and Keshinro, 2008 ).…”

“…Based on the quality assessment checklist, studies were either in moderate (6-8 points) ( Ijarotimi and Keshinro, 2008 ; Khater and Abouelezz, 2011 ; Mahfouz et al, 2013 ; Abd-el-gawad et al, 2014 ; Alao et al, 2015 ; OC et al, 2015 ; El-desouky and Abed, 2017 ; Adebusoye et al, 2018 ; Adebusoye et al, 2019 ; Andia et al, 2019 ; Faten et al, 2019 ; Allah et al, 2020 ) or high-quality groups (9 or 10 points) ( Nyaruhucha et al, 2001 ; Olasunbo and Olubode, 2006 ; Marais et al, 2007 ; Adebusoye et al, 2012 ; Cheserek et al, 2012 ; Andre et al, 2013 ; Esmayel et al, 2013 ; Mkhize et al, 2013 ; Rouvray et al, 2014 ; Tessfamichael et al, 2014 ; Aganiba et al, 2015 ; Naidoo et al, 2015 ; Pilleron et al, 2015 ; El-sherbiny et al, 2016 ; Hailemariam et al, 2016 ; Robb et al, 2017 ; Agbozo et al, 2018 ; Diendéré et al, 2018 ; Abdu et al, 2019 ; Adhana et al, 2019 ; Apprey et al, 2019 ; Legesse et al, 2019 ; Abate et al, 2020 ). Study bias was mostly exacerbated as a result of convenience sampling and a low response rate among study participants.…”

Malnutrition Risk at Solid Tumor Diagnosis: the Malnutrition Screening Tool in a Large US Cancer Institute

“…Aging, changes in end-organ function, and body composition remain well-documented risk factors for MN in non-cancer and cancer illnesses. [35][36][37] In our sample, age was not an independent predictor of H-MST in multivariate analysis. We did, however, observe multiple symptoms to be independently associated with H-MST including depression, distress, fatigue, and trouble eating/swallowing.…”

Malnutrition risk at solid tumor diagnosis: the malnutrition screening tool in a large US cancer institute

“…Aging, changes in end-organ function, and body composition remain well-documented risk factors for malnutrition in non-cancer and cancer illnesses. [ 22 , 38 , 39 ] In a study of patients with varying cancer diagnoses in which half were outpatients, 90% had at least one nutrition barrier when referred to a dietitian. [ 40 ] It is noteworthy that loss of appetite, nausea, and early satiety were the most common nutrition barriers.…”