Risk of frailty and associated factors among community older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Functional decline represents the main determinant of negative outcomes in the health of older adults, such as the development of other disabilities, which may result in frailty, institutionalization, hospitalization and death. Aim: To determine the prevalence of risk of frailty among community older adults during the covid-19 pandemic and identify its association with health risk behaviors. Methods: An epidemiological screening type research, with cross-sectional design and sample representative of the Federal District, Brazil, was carried out. Data were collected through electronic questionnaire. In order to answer the problem question, the Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index – IVCF-20 instrument was used (with risk ≥7 points), complemented by questions about demographic factors, socioeconomic factors and health risk behaviors. For data analysis, descriptive (frequency distribution and confidence interval) and association (crude and adjusted binary logistic regression) procedures were used. Results: Data from 1,363 older adults were analyzed (66.0%=female; 34.0%=male), the majority aged 60-74 years (82.2%), with higher education level (50.1%), who did not live alone (76.6%). There was high prevalence of older adults exposed to risk of frailty (30.7%; CI 95%=26.3-35.1), insufficiently active (45.6%; CI 95%=41.7-49.5) and who did not practice physical exercises before (30.2%; CI 95%=25.8-34.6) and during the physical distancing resulting from the covid-19 pandemic (53.4%; CI95%=49.8-57.0). Risk of frailty was associated with insufficient level of physical activity (OR=3.37; 95% CI 2.59-4.39) and with not practicing physical exercise before (OR=1.54; 95% CI 1. 17-2.03) and during physical distancing resulting from the covid-19 pandemic (OR=2.07; 95% CI 1.58-2.69). Conclusions: Considering the relevance and potential of physical exercise for older adults in contributing to functional improvement and health conditions, strategies to maintain active habits, even in periods of physical distancing as imposed by the covid-19 pandemic, are needed.