Scoring methods used in the dietary variety score survey to predict malnutrition among older patients receiving home care

Abstract

Background: The dietary variety score (DVS), a simple dietary survey method for older adults, investigates the weekly frequency of consumption of the 10 food groups in Japan. The DVS is also associated with nutritional status. The original scoring method applied only to community-dwelling older adults, not to older patients receiving home care, who have little dietary variety.

Aim: Using three different scoring methods for the DVS, we examined which method was most likely to reflect the nutritional status of older patients receiving home care.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on older patients receiving home care. Participant characteristics, the DVS (evaluated using three different scoring methods), and the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA^® -SF) survey were researched. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to find the cut-off value for the DVS. Multivariate analysis was performed, with malnutrition as the outcome, to investigate the extent to which the DVS is associated with malnutrition.

Results: We studied 317 participants. The DVS could produce significant ROC curves using modified scoring methods A and B (p = .028 and .042) with nutritional status as the outcome. Cut-off value, sensitivity and specificity were 30 points, 60.9% and 55.9% in modified scoring method A and 5 points, 79.1%, and 35.6% in modified scoring method B. Results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis, in Model 1 dysphagia (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 3.85 [1.70-8.71]) and the DVS of modified scoring method A (2.00 [1.11-3.62]) were significant independent factors. In Model 2, dysphagia (3.57 [1.58-8.07]) and the DVS based on modified scoring method B (2.36 [1.24-4.47]) were significant independent factors.

Conclusions: Modified scoring method B was found to be most suitable for the dietary assessment of older patients receiving home care.

Implications for practice: Even in the absence of registered dietitians, any care staff member who is involved in providing nursing services during home-visits is capable of administering a dietary survey, when using the easy DVS scoring method.

Keywords: dietary assessment; dietary variety; home care; malnutrition; older patients.