Under-nutrition at baseline and health services utilization and mortality over a one-year period in older adults receiving Medicare home health services Yongbin Yang, BS 1 [Graduate Student], Cynthia J. Brown, MD MSPH 2,3 [Associate Professor], Kathryn L. Burgio, PhD 2,3 [Professor], Meredith L. Kilgore, PhD RN 3,4 [Associate Professor], Christine S. Ritchie, MD MSPH 2,3 [Associate Professor], David L. Roth, PhD 3,5 [Professor], Delia Smith West, PhD 6 [Professor], and Julie L. Locher, PhD MSPH 2,4 [Associate Professor] 1 Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA 2 Birmingham/Atlanta Veterans Affairs Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA 3 Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA 4 Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA 5 Department of Biostatistics, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA 6 Department of Health Behavior, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AK, USA Abstract Objective—Older adults receiving Medicare home health services who experience under- nutrition may be at increased risk of experiencing adverse outcomes. We sought to identify the association between baseline nutritional status and subsequent health service utilization and mortality over a one-year period in older adults receiving Medicare home health services. Design—This was a longitudinal study using questionnaires and anthropometric measures designed to assess nutritional status (Mini-Nutritional Assessment [MNA]) at baseline and health services utilization and mortality status at six-month and one-year follow-ups. Setting—Participants were evaluated in their homes. Participants—198 older adults who were receiving Medicare home health services. © 2010 American Medical Directors Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Corresponding Author and Author to Whom Requests for Reprints Should Be Addressed: Julie L. Locher, PhD MSPH, Director, Public Policy and Aging Program, Associate Professor of Medicine Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative, Care/ Department of Health Care Organization and Policy University of Alabama at Birmingham, CH19 218F, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-2041, Phone: 205.934.7542, Fax: 205.975.5870, jlocher@uab.edu. Alternate Correspondence: Meredith L. Kilgore, PhD RN, Associate Professor of Public Health, RPHG 330, 1530 3 rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. None of the authors have a conflict of interest to report, financial or otherwise. NIH Public Access Author Manuscript J Am Med Dir Assoc. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2012 May 1. Published in final edited form as: J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2011 May ; 12(4): 287–294. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2010.08.017. NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript