THE IMPACT OF DEPRESSION AND OTHER ASSOCIATED FACTORS ON MALNUTRITION IN THE ELDERLY IN TURKEY: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING

The aim of this research is to evaluate the nutritional status, depression status and some related factors of elderly people. The sampling of the descriptive and cross-sectional research consists of 365 elderly people. The data of the research were collected through the Personal Information Form, Mini Nutritional Assessment Test (MNA), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Malnutrition was found in 4.1% and malnutrition risk was detected in 26.6%. It was determined that 41.9% had depression. Path analyzes were conducted using AMOS v24 to investigate the relationships between MNA and GDS, gender, age, income level, presence of chronic disease, and whether or not living alone. A model was established to reveal the relationships between income, age, gender, presence of chronic disease, and living alone with MNA and GDS. In line with the insignificant path coefficients in both men and women, these paths were removed from the model and the new model was analyzed again. After removing the insignificant path coefficients from the model, in women; the path coefficient between GDS and income was found to be statistically significant, and as the income level increases, GDS increases. It was found that depression decreased in men not living alone. Malnutrition in men and women is associated with age and depression. The significant path coefficients retained in the model provide compelling evidence of complex relationships between sociodemographic factors, nutritional status, and depression. A holistic approach should be adopted in managing the health of the elderly people.