Modeling the Effect of Nutritional Support Programs on Health Outcomes

Vicki L. Lamb, Duke University

Our goal is to assess the impact of Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP, such as home delivered meals and congregate meals) participation and Food Stamps (FS) receipt reported in 1994 on the risk of institutionalization and of mortality by 1999. Our data for this study are the 1994 and 1999 National Long Term Survey data, and linked Medicare files. We first model participation or selection into ENP and FS programs. Then separate hazard models are used to estimate the risk of institutionalization and mortality for the different types of nutritional support (ENP, FS, and other). We include as controls measures of disability, chronic disease, physical activity, body mass index, sociodemographic characteristics, and other important factors. We hypothesize that ENP and possibly FS will be effective in reducing the risk of institutionalization. ENP and FS programs are expected to have little effect on mortality risk.