Prevalence of multidimensional frailty and related factors among community-dwelling older adults in Shahroud, northeastern Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22100/ijhs.v11i3.1188

Keywords:

Multidimensional frailty, Older adults, , Risk factors, Prevalence

Abstract

Background: The studies conducted on frailty have focused more on its physical dimension and there is limited information about its different dimensions, especially the environmental dimension. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of frailty and related risk factors in five different dimensions (physical, psychological, cognitive, social, and environmental) among *** community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 413 older adults ≥ 60 years referred to health centers in ***, northeastern ***. Participants were selected by cluster random sampling method. Multidimensional frailty was assessed using the Comprehensive Frailty Assessment Instrument Plus (CFAI-Plus). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors associated with frailty.

Results: In physical, psychological, cognitive, social, and environmental dimensions, the prevalence of mild to high frailty was 9.2%, 13.6%, 59.6% , 26.4%, and 28.3%, respectively. In the regression analysis, advanced age was the only variable associated with frailty in all dimensions (in physical, psychological, and cognitive dimensions: P>0.001; environmental: P=0.023, and social: P= 0.013). Also, female gender, low education, dependence on Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), current smoking, joint disease, hypertension, insufficient income, physical inactivity, living alone, being a parent to fewer than two children, depressive symptoms, poor cognition, comorbidity, and poor self-reported health were each differentially associated with one of the frailty dimensions.

Conclusion: Considering the high prevalence of frailty and the numerous risk factors known for each of its dimensions, focused interventions and targeted programs can be designed by health care providers to reduce or prevent frailty in each dimension.

 

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Published

2025-09-14

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Prevalence of multidimensional frailty and related factors among community-dwelling older adults in Shahroud, northeastern Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study. (2025). Shahroud Journal of Medical Sciences, 11(3), 32-42. https://doi.org/10.22100/ijhs.v11i3.1188