Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2025

Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty
Published on: July 24, 2013
Frailty Trends in an Older Veteran Subpopulation 1 Year Prior and Into the COVID-19 Pandemic Using CAN Scores
Nalini S Bhalla1,2, Janet Fawcett1
1Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Arizona.
Background:
We studied the effects of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic on frailty trends in a subset of older veterans at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System.
Methods:
We identified 3538 and 6103 veterans aged 70 to 75 years as of February 8, 2019, with a calculated Care Assessment Need (CAN) score of ≥ 75 for 1-year mortality and hospitalization, respectively. After excluding veterans with insufficient 2020 and 2021 data, we compared the difference in 1-year mortality and hospitalization CAN scores from 2019 to 2020 with 2020 to 2021 using a paired t test.
Results:
The difference in mean (SD) 1-year mortality CAN scores from 2020 to 2021 was 0.2 (13.4) when compared with the previous year's -4.9 (12.5) (P < .0001), indicating increased frailty. The difference in 1-year hospitalization CAN scores from 2020 to 2021 was -1.5 (12.0) when compared with the previous year's -2.8 (9.9) (P < .0001).
Conclusions:
Frailty in our veteran subpopulation as calculated by 1-year mortality CAN scores increased in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic when compared with a recovering trend the previous year.
Related Concept Videos
Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
Current Trends in Nursing I
Cancer Survival Analysis
The Effect of Aging on Tissues
Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities

