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Prevalence of Frailty and Mobility Limitation in a Rural Setting in France
M Cesari1, L Demougeot, H Boccalon
1Matteo Cesari, MD, PhD, Institut du Vieillissement, Université de Toulouse; 37 Allées Jules Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France. Phone: +33 (0)5 6114-5628; Fax: +33 (0)5 6114-5640;
The Journal of Frailty & Aging
|April 20, 2016
Summary
Frailty and mobility issues are common in older adults living in rural areas. This study highlights the need for interventions to prevent functional decline in this population.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Frailty prevalence varies significantly based on definition, population, and setting.
- Understanding frailty and mobility in community-dwelling older adults is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of frailty and mobility disability among individuals aged 60 and above residing in a rural French community.
- To compare frailty prevalence using different operational definitions.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 572 community-dwelling individuals aged 60+ in Labastide-Murat, France.
- Mobility disability assessed by ability to walk 400m and climb 2 flights of stairs.
- Frailty assessed using the FRAIL instrument and a modified Fried definition.
Main Results:
- Mobility disability affected 8.3% of participants.
- Using the FRAIL instrument, 14.0% were pre-frail/frail and 8.3% were disabled.
- An alternative frailty definition revealed increased prevalence and gender-specific differences (p=0.02).
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of rural older adults experience physical impairments and are at higher risk for adverse health outcomes.
- Findings support targeted interventions to prevent functional decline in the elderly population.
- The study underscores the importance of considering operational definitions in frailty research.
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