Frailty trends in Catalonia 2017-2021: An epidemiological study with 1.5 million people aged ≥65 years

Knowledge of frailty prevalence and incidence trends over time is essential for planning the necessary health and social resources. The objective of this study was to assess frailty prevalence, incidence, reversibility and mortality rates, and trends for the population aged ≥65 years in Catalonia over the period 2017-2021.

Longitudinal epidemiological study.

An observational longitudinal 5-year study (1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021) of the population aged ≥65 years in Catalonia (approximately 1.5 million individuals) was performed using retrospectively collected data from different health databases. Frailty status was evaluated using the electronic Screening Index of Frailty (e-SIF) and categorised as robust, pre-frail, moderately frail or severely frail.

Standardised frailty prevalence rates were 10.5 % (2017), 11.8 % (2018), 13.1 % (2019), 12.9 % (2020) and 14.3 % (2021) [p-value for trend = 0.010]. Standardised frailty incidence rates per 1000 non-frail persons/year were 35 (2018), 36 (2019), 28 (2020) and 33 (2021) [p-value for trend = 0.492]. Both prevalence and incidence were higher in women and increased with age. Standardised frailty reversibility rates per 1000 frail persons/year were 123 (2018), 108 (2019) and 121 (2020) [p-value for trend = 0.406], and decreased with age. Standardised mortality rates for frail individuals per 1000 frail persons/year were 93 (2018), 84 (2019) and 110 (2020) [p-value for trend = 0.555], and increased with frailty severity.

Frailty prevalence in Catalonia increased by 36 % between 2017 and 2021; however, no clear trend was evident for frailty incidence and reversibility, while results for mortality were likely to have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.