Ariffin, Norfaranieza Muhd
(2009)
Knowledge, health beliefs and use of
vitamin and mineral supplements
among elderly clients in Klinik
Rawatan Keluarga (KRK), Hospital
Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Project Report.
Universiti Sains Malaysia.
(Submitted)
Abstract
With the prevalence of elderly rising in the past decade, research into nutritional
intake among elderly has become increasingly important. Indeed, nutrition-related
health problems ranging from nutrient deficiencies to over-nutrient, makes the elderly
diet is questionable. The use of nutritional supplementation is enhancing among
elderly and their decision of consuming vitamin and mineral supplements might be
based on personal knowledge and health beliefs.
The objectives of the study is to assess the knowledge, health beliefs of the elderly
and correlates them with their use of vitamin and mineral supplements among elderly
clients in KRK, HUSM. This study was a cross-sectional design and descriptive
study. One hundred and fifty elderly clients who were attending to KRK, HUSM were
engaged in this study. From this questionnaire, the knowledge and health beliefs
scores were calculated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences
version 12.0 (SPSS). Association and mean difference of the supplement usage
were identified.
The mean of knowledge score was 10.26 (S.D 2.21) out of possible 20. There is no
association between nutritional knowledge and usage of vitamin and mineral
supplements. There is no significant mean difference of knowledge score between
users and non-users of vitamin and mineral supplements.
The mean for health belief score was 24.4 (S.D 2.21) out 45. For the health beliefs
score, the result revealed that there were no significance mean difference of health
belief score between users and non-users of health belief statements. From this study, it is know that the usage of vitamin and mineral supplements still did
not take place among elderly at KRK, HUSM. Besides, the findings also showed that
the level of nutrition knowledge is high among the elderly. Those aspects of nutrition
knowledge which are low needs improvement and those beliefs that put the elderly at
risk of malnutrition in the expanding population of older adults need to be changed
and further investigation of vitamin and mineral supplementation behavior in older
adults should be explored.
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