Prevalence and Associated Factors with Frailty Using the Kihon Checklist among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Taiwan.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Frailty in older adults is associated with adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the frailty status of community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and explore associations with demographic, physiological, and functional factors. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 278 community-dwelling older adults were classified as robust, prefrail, or frail based on their KCL scores. Participants underwent physical fitness assessments including muscle strength and endurance tests, walking speed tests, and flexibility tests. One-way ANOVA and logistic regression analyses were used to examine differences and associations between frailty status and physical fitness indicators. Results: 36% of participants were robust, 47.1% prefrail, and 16.9% frail. The robust group significantly outperformed the prefrail and frail groups in the 30 s sit-to-stand test, 2.44 m sit-to-walk test, and walking speed (p < 0.001). The 2.44 m sit-to-walk test was a significant predictor of prefrailty (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.02-1.36) after adjusting for other physical fitness indicators. Conclusions: Lower limb functional capacity, particularly in the 2.44 m sit-to-walk test, was significantly associated with pre-frailty among community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. Early screening, the classification of frailty by the Kihon Checklist, and targeted interventions focusing on lower limb strength, endurance, and mobility are crucial for preventing and delaying frailty progression in older populations.