Abstract
Frailty is a preventable and reversible syndrome characterized by a cumulative decline of physiological systems, causing greater vulnerability to adverse conditions. To describe the prevalence of frailty among older adults and analyze its associated factors and progression. This is a longitudinal study that used the Health, Well-being, and Aging Study (Saúde, Bem-Estar e Envelhecimento - SABE) database of 2006 and 2010. Five components identified the frailty syndrome: weight loss; fatigue; decreased strength, low physical activity, and reduced walking speed. Older adults were classified as "pre-frail" (1-2 components) and "frail" (3 or more). We used a hierarchical multiple multinomial regression to analyze associated factors. Out of the total number of older adults (n = 1,399), 8.5% were frail, and the associated factors were age, functional impairment, cognitive decline, hospitalization, and multimorbidity. In four years, 3.3% of non-frail and 14.7% of pre-frail older adults became frail. Identifying the prevalence of frailty and its associated factors can help to implement adequate interventions early to improve the quality of life of older adults.
Highlights
Frailty is a preventable and reversible syndrome characterized by a cumulative decline of physiological systems, causing greater vulnerability to adverse conditions
The imbalance of multiple systems can lead to an overall decline in the ability of the organism as a whole in tolerating stressors, increasing the risk of adverse outcomes associated with frailty[6,7,8,9]
The sample comprised 1,399 older people who had full data related to frailty, representing 1,019,243 older adults living in the city of São Paulo
Summary
Frailty is a preventable and reversible syndrome characterized by a cumulative decline of physiological systems, causing greater vulnerability to adverse conditions. Objective: To describe the prevalence of frailty among older adults and analyze its associated factors and progression. Results: Out of the total number of older adults (n = 1,399), 8.5% were frail, and the associated factors were age, functional impairment, cognitive decline, hospitalization, and multimorbidity. Conclusion: Identifying the prevalence of frailty and its associated factors can help to implement adequate interventions early to improve the quality of life of older adults. Identifying, assessing, and treating frail older people tend to be the focus of attention in Geriatrics and Gerontology in this century. This condition is highly prevalent among longlived older adults, a group that is growing fast in this population. The imbalance of multiple systems can lead to an overall decline in the ability of the organism as a whole in tolerating stressors, increasing the risk of adverse outcomes associated with frailty[6,7,8,9]
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Schedule a callMore From: Revista brasileira de epidemiologia = Brazilian journal of epidemiology
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