Author/Authors :
Sharifi, Farshad Elderly Health Research Center - Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institut - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Mirarefin, Mojde Division of Public and Behavioral Health - Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Carson City, USA , Alizadeh-Khoei, Mahtab Elderly Health Research Center - Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institut - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Nazari, Neda Elderly Health Research Center - Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institut - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Najafi, Baharak Elderly Health Research Center - Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institut - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Fakhrzadeh, Hossein Elderly Health Research Center - Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institut - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Arzaghi, Masoud Metabolism Population Sciences Institut - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Söderhamn, Ulrika Center of Caring Research – Southern Norway - University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway , Taati, Fahimeh Elderly Health Research Center - Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institut - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Mehrdad, Neda Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center - Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
Background: The Nutritional Form for the Elderly (NUFFE) is a newly developed tool. This study aimed to carry out a
psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of NUFFE (NUFFE-P) among nursing home residents.
Methods: Nursing home participant’s aged ≥ 60 years (n=97) were enrolled. The inclusion criteria were residency for at least 6
months in the nursing home, and ability to communicate. Exclusion criteria included cognitive impairment, having depressed mood,
severe hearing loss, problems in upper and lower extremities also, history of hospital admission during 6 months before enrollment.
Anthropometric measures, laboratory tests, three-day food intake, NUFFE-P version, Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Barthel
Index (BI) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) were assessed. The relationship between the NUFFE-P and MNA scores was
considered as concurrent validity.
Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of NUFFE-P tool was 0.76. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the total score
between two raters obtained 0.98 (CI 0.97-0.99). The correlation coefficient between the NUFFE-P and the MNA scores was -0.75
(p<0.01). Four factors were extracted for the NUFFE-P in an exploratory factor analyses. Sensitivity 69.8% and 100% and specificity
75.7% and 85.6% were achieved to detect elderly at medium risk (cutoff=6), and at high risk of under-nutrition (cutoff=11)
respectively.
Conclusion: The NUFFE-P has sufficient psychometric properties in nutritional status screening among the Iranian elderly nursing
homes residents.
Keywords :
Specificity , Sensitivity , Nutrition assessment , Elderly
