Turkish Adaptation of the Frailty Index for Elders: A Methodologic Study

Background and Purpose: Frailty is an important problem in the aging process and can be prevented or delayed when detected at an early stage. Therefore, appropriate measurement tools are needed to determine frailty. The study aimed to adapt the Frailty Index for Elders (FIFE) into Turkish. Methods: Data were collected from 300 older individuals between January and April 2023. Rasch analysis was used to evaluate the construct validity. The KR-20 reliability coefficient of the factor items was evaluated and interpreted for internal consistency. Results: The reliability coefficient of the scale was .98, item separation (item separation index) was 7.62, and item reliability was .98. The content validity, based on the opinions of seven experts, was found as .85. In general, the relationship between the total scores of the individuals in the first application and the scores of the individuals in the second application was .92. Conclusions: It was concluded that the seven-item single-factor FIFE was a valid and reliable tool to measure the frailty of older individuals living in Turkey.