Prevalence and Determinants of Frailty in Community-Dwelling Iranian Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Frailty is one of the most common syndromes in old age. This syndrome, associated with adverse health outcomes and increased economic costs, can affect the quality of life of elderly people. This study investigates the prevalence and determinants of frailty in community-dwelling Iranian older adults.

This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over 5 months among the retired elderly people (> 60 years) in Isfahan. The tools used in this study included a demographic questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), an assessment of polypharmacy, and the Edmonton Frail Scale. Data were analyzed using statistical tests in SPSS software.

The prevalence of frailty, based on the Edmonton Frail Scale, was 17.4%. No statistically significant difference in mean frailty scores was observed between men and women (p = 0.286). Logistic regression analysis showed that older age (B = 0.067, OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.15), lower education (B = -2.66, OR for MSc = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.00-0.74), polypharmacy (B = 1.82, OR = 6.16, 95% CI: 2.8-13.50), and poor sleep quality (B = 0.59, OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 0.88-3.78) were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of frailty (p < 0.05).

This study's results indicated that age, education, polypharmacy, and poor sleep quality are associated with an increased risk of frailty in Iranian elderly people. Therefore, timely screening and intervention are recommended to identify these factors and prevent their irreversible physical, psychological, and financial consequences.