[Malnutrition among older adults admitted to Fann university hospital: a retrospective analysis of prevalence and associated factors from 2021 to 2022].

Malnutrition is a prevalent concern among older hospitalized patients, often associated with adverse outcomes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and identify risk factors for malnutrition in older adults admitted to the acute geriatric ward at Fann University Hospital (CHNU) in Dakar, Senegal. A retrospective analytical study was conducted on 375 patients aged 60 years and older, admitted to the acute geriatric ward between January 2021 and December 2022. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, geriatric syndromes, and nutritional status were collected from medical records. Malnutrition was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Bivariate analysis was performed to explore the association between malnutrition and potential risk factors. The prevalence of malnutrition was 72% (n = 270). Malnutrition was significantly associated with female gender (p = 0.019), presence of multiple comorbidities (p < 0.001), functional dependence (p = 0.007), immobilization syndrome (p = 0.016), and pressure ulcers (p = 0.016). Malnutrition is highly prevalent among older adults hospitalized in the acute geriatric ward at CHNU, Dakar, Senegal. This study identified several factors significantly associated with malnutrition, highlighting the need for increased awareness and targeted interventions to address this important geriatric syndrome.