Frailty in older people: a principle-based concept analysis

Frailty is a term that presents many difficulties for policy makers and clinicians due to the lack of consensus in defining frailty in a way that meets the needs of older people. A principle-based concept analysis was used to examine the scientific literature across four perspectives: medicine, nursing, social sciences, and occupational and physiotherapy. The purpose was to identify the conceptual components of frailty as revealed by analysis of the literature, and to develop a theoretical definition of frailty. The findings exposed commonalities in implied meanings both within and across perspectives. The strengths of frailty as a concept are revealed in the implications for clinical practice and relevance to health professionals. The limitations reflect a concept that is still evolving and further research is recommended but this should not stop health professionals engaging in this process. The definition developed in this study will enhance existing knowledge and promote a shared understanding to unite different disciplines in recognising frailty as an important concept.