Frailty Syndrome: A Risk Factor Associated With Violence in Older Adults

The objective of this study was to analyze the association between frailty syndrome as a risk factor associated with violence in older adults.

A cross-sectional study, carried out with older adults, in an emergency care unit of a northeastern Brazilian city was conducted. Three instruments were used: a form for sample characterization (i.e., demographics) and two more scales, namely, the Edmonton Frail Scale and the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test. The results were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics, using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, Spearman's correlation test, and simple logistic regression.

The sample included 146 older adults who were over 70 years old (56.6%), male (56.2%), and at risk of violence (69.86%). Among the categorical variables, there was an association between risk and being of a higher age (80.7%, p < 0.001), unemployed (73.7%, p < 0.05), having more than six children (80.8%, p < 0.05), and frail older adults (88.1%, p < 0.001). There was a correlation (p < 0.05) between the numerical variables of the scales of violence and frailty, with a coefficient of 0.40. The simple logistic regression model showed that frailty syndrome increases the risk of violence among older adults.

It was concluded that frailty is a factor that increases the occurrence of risk of violence and provides information to guide nursing action in the field of forensic sciences.