Prevalence and Potential Predictors of Frailty among Community-Dwelling Older Persons in Northern Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study.
This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of frailty among Thai older persons. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of 1806 older persons aged 60 years or older. Frailty was assessed by Fried's frailty phenotypes, which consists of five criteria, namely, unintended weight loss, exhaustion, slow walking, weak handgrip and decreased physical activity. Older people who met 3 in 5, 1-2 in 5, and none of the criteria were considered frail, pre-frail and non-frail respectively. The prevalence was calculated and multinomial logistic regression was performed. Prevalence rates of frailty, pre-frailty and non-frailty were 13.9% (95% CI 9.9 to 18.8), 50.9% (95% CI 47.5 to 54.1) and 35.1% (95% CI 31.5 to 39.9), respectively. Increasing age, lower education, having no spouse, poorer health perception, increasing number of comorbidities, osteoarthritis and smaller mid-arm circumference increased the risk of frailty (p < 0.001). The prevalence of geriatric frailty syndrome in this study was much higher than that of developed countries but was lower than that of less developed countries. Factors associated with frailty reflect common characteristics of disadvantaged older persons in Thailand.
['Thinuan|Payom|P|0000-0002-0947-315X', 'Siviroj|Penprapa|P|0000-0003-4781-4119', 'Lerttrakarnnon|Peerasak|P|0000-0002-1628-0639', 'Lorga|Thaworn|T|0000-0003-3951-4394']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005260:Female D016330:Frail Elderly D000073496:Frailty D015577:Geriatric Assessment D018737:Hand Strength D006801:Humans D057187:Independent Living D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D015995:Prevalence D013785:Thailand
prevalence predictors frailty community-dwelling older persons