Unravelling cognitive frailty: perceptions, misconceptions, and the path to prevention

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Aging populations necessitate extending healthy life expectancy and reducing morbidity.
• Cognitive frailty, defined as co-occurring cognitive impairment and physical frailty without dementia, presents a potential prevention window.
• Limited understanding of cognitive frailty impedes recognition and risk reduction efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore public and professional conceptualizations of cognitive frailty.
• To investigate perceptions of cognitive frailty's causes and risk factors.
• To inform public health and clinical practice through enhanced understanding.

Main Methods:

• 22 semi-structured interviews with the public and healthcare professionals.
• Exploration of perceived definitions, symptoms, and risk factors.
• Analysis of data using reflexive thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Participants often confused cognitive frailty with cognitive impairment or early dementia.
• The physical frailty component was under-recognized, especially by the public.
• Healthcare professionals had broader symptom profiles and risk frameworks than the public.
• Mood, social withdrawal, and lifestyle were identified as key risks across groups.

Conclusions:

• Inconsistent understanding of cognitive frailty hinders early detection and prevention.
• Clearer operational definitions, policy support, and targeted education are essential.
• Improved strategies are needed to strengthen detection, risk reduction, and interventions for older adults.