Abstract
Objective:
to assess whether the health condition of an elderly person can serve as a mediating factor between the cognitive state and general self-esteem of the institutionalized elderly.
Method:
a quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study was performed, based on the path analysis technique.The following instruments were used for data collection: the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment, the Mini Nutritional Evaluation and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.
Results:
the sample was composed of 312 elderly patients of both genders (112 men and 200 women), with an average age of 83.39 (+7.09) years. Most of the elderly persons were widowed, with a low educational level, and had been institutionalized in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly for on average 54.6 (+51.69) months. The mediating factor of health condition renders the link between the cognitive state and self-esteem of the elderly null. However, the analysis of the decomposition of the effects showed a significant indirect effect between the cognitive state and health condition. The total effect of cognitive state on the health condition of the elderly is significant, positive and direct.
Conclusion:
based on the results of this study we maintain that cognitive changes can affect the nutritional state and physical balance of the institutionalized elderly.
Keywords:
Health Status; Cognition; Health of Institutionalized Elderly; Self-Esteem
Regression, error, and disturbance values are standardized. Sobelz= z value of the Sobel test; SE = standard error; Values that do not have an asterisk are not significant (p>0.05); *p<0.05.
The dashed and dotted line are presented as indirect paths of the model (i.e., the indirect effects of the predictor variable on the criterion, via health condition, β=0.26); Regression, error, and disturbance values are standardized. The solid line shows the direct paths of the predictor variables, the variable tested as a mediator (β=0.42) and the criterion (β=0.07). The direct effect of the evaluation of health condition on the criterion is β=0.61; CSA = cognitive state assessment; SE = standard error, *p≤0.05.