Figure 1.
Figure 2.
The distribution of dehydration appraisal checklist (N = 305)_
| Items | Min–max | Range | Mean ± SD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physiological signs of dehydration | 0–6 | 0–5 | 3.12 ± 1.70 |
| Clinical signs of dehydration | 0–8 | 0–7 | 3.46 ± 1.1 |
| Functional signs of dehydration | 0–9 | 0–9 | 6.65 ± 1.87 |
| Total dehydration risk | 0–23 | 0–21 | 13.02 ± 4.05 |
The distribution of the medications that increase the risk for dehydration (N = 305)_
| Medication may increase risk for dehydration | Frequency | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Laxatives | 201 | 65.9 |
| Diuretics | 237 | 77.7 |
| Anti-inflammatory | 245 | 80.3 |
| Anti-acids | 248 | 81.3 |
| Anti-depressant | 45 | 14.8 |
| Cortisone | 91 | 29.8 |
| Chemotherapy | 7 | 2.3 |
Correlation between the type of medication and risk for dehydration (N = 305)_
| Medication | Dehydration risk level | χ2 | P | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low risk | Moderate risk | High risk | ||||||
| F | % | F | % | F | % | |||
| Laxatives | 23.464 | 0.008** | ||||||
| Yes | 89 | 44.3 | 85 | 42.3 | 27 | 13.4 | ||
| No | 71 | 68.3 | 33 | 31.7 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Diuretics | 9.196 | 0.010** | ||||||
| Yes | 118 | 49.8 | 92 | 38.8 | 27 | 11.4 | ||
| No | 42 | 61.8 | 26 | 38.2 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Anti-inflammatory | 67.691 | 0.000*** | ||||||
| Yes | 100 | 40.8 | 118 | 48.2 | 27 | 11.0 | ||
| No | 60 | 100 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Anti-acids | 54.539 | 0.000*** | ||||||
| Yes | 105 | 42.3 | 116 | 46.8 | 27 | 10.9 | ||
| No | 55 | 96.5 | 2 | 3.5 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Antidepressant | 23.741 | 0.007** | ||||||
| Yes | 10 | 22.2 | 25 | 55.6 | 10 | 22.2 | ||
| No | 150 | 57.7 | 93 | 35.8% | 17 | 6.5 | ||
| Cortisone | 40.911 | 0.000*** | ||||||
| Yes | 33 | 36.3 | 36 | 39.6 | 22 | 24.2 | ||
| No | 127 | 59.3 | 82 | 38.3 | 5 | 2.3 | ||
| Chemotherapy | 0.458 | 0.79* | ||||||
| Yes | 4 | 57.1 | 2 | 28.6 | 1 | 14.3 | ||
| No | 156 | 52.3 | 116 | 38.9 | 26 | 8.7 | ||
Distribution of the study subjects regarding demographic data of the elderly (N = 305)_
| Demographic characteristics | Frequency | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Age, years (Mean ± SD [67.47 ± 5.95]) | ||
| 60–65 | 144 | 47.0 |
| 65–70 | 90 | 29.5 |
| 70–75 | 40 | 13.1 |
| 75–80 | 18 | 5.9 |
| ≥80 | 13 | 4.3 |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 156 | 51.1 |
| Female | 149 | 48.9 |
| Marital status | ||
| Single | 7 | 2.3 |
| Married | 210 | 68.9 |
| Divorced | 4 | 1.3 |
| Widowed | 84 | 27.5 |
| Having siblings | ||
| Yes | 286 | 93.8 |
| No | 19 | 6.2 |
| Educational level | ||
| Can’t read or write | 137 | 44.9 |
| Can read | 168 | 55.1 |
| Work status | ||
| Works | 72 | 23.6 |
| Does not work | 233 | 76.4 |
| Type of work, either current or previous | ||
| Employee | 23 | 7.5 |
| Farmer | 154 | 50.5 |
| Handicraftsman | 56 | 18.4 |
| Retired | 72 | 23.6 |
| With whom do you live? | ||
| Alone | 11 | 3.6 |
| With spouse | 129 | 42.3 |
| With a sibling | 161 | 52.8 |
| Others | 4 | 1.3 |
Distribution of the study subjects regarding the dehydration knowledge of the elderly (N = 305)_
| Question | Yes N (%) | No N (%) | I don’t know N (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Understanding the meaning of dehydration | |||
| Have you heard about dehydration? | 231 (75.7) | 7 (2.3) | 67 (21.7) |
| Dehydration happens when not having enough fluid | 227 (74.4) | 15 (4.9) | 63 (20.7) |
| Dehydration happens when you lose too much fluid | 132 (43.3) | 37 (12.1) | 136 (44.6) |
| Prevention of dehydration | |||
| Drinking enough fluids (milk, juice, or water) is necessary to prevent dehydration | 208 (68.2) | 12 (3.9) | 85 (27.8) |
| Avoid hot weather | 102 (33.4) | 91 (29.8) | 112 (36.7) |
| Avoid direct exposure to sunlight | 112 (36.7) | 86 (28.2) | 107 (35.0) |
| Having food rich in fluid (soup, fruits, and vegetables) | 110 (36.1) | 81 (26.6) | 114 (37.4) |
| Consequences of dehydration | |||
| Dehydration may lead to kidney disease | 190 (62.3) | 30 (9.8) | 86 (28.2) |
| Dehydration may lead to confusion | 148 (48.5) | 27 (8.9) | 130 (42.6) |
| Dehydration may lead to death | 135 (44.3) | 43 (14.1) | 127 (41.6) |