Socioeconomic Status Across the Life-Course and Frailty in Older Age: Evidence From Switzerland

This study examines how different measures of socioeconomic status (SES) across childhood and adulthood relate to frailty in older age.

Data came from the Lausanne cohort 65+ (Lc65+), a population-based study of approximately 4,500 older adults followed over 20 years. SES measures included education in young adulthood, occupational class in midlife, and specific early old-age factors: perceived income, wealth, financial strain, and receipt of financial subsidies. Frailty trajectories over a 10-year period were assessed using Fried's frailty phenotype and group-based trajectory modeling. Logistic regression models adjusted for sex, age, cohort, living situation, marital status, and number of children.

Lower education, occupational class, financial strain, and financial subsidies in older age were each independently associated with higher frailty risk at ages 65-70. Financial strain and financial subsidies in early old age increased odds of medium- (aOR, 1.48-1.69) and high-frailty (aOR, 2.07-2.28) trajectories.

SES across the life course strongly correlates with frailty in early old age. Early interventions and financial protection policies in older age could help mitigate frailty risk and SES-related frailty inequalities.