[Prevalence and associated factors of frailty in adults over 70 years in the community].

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence and analyze the factors associated with frailty syndrome, in adults ≥70 years old, belonging to a health center in Asturias.

DESIGN

Observational cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults ≥70 years of age. SITE: Health Centre of Llano (Asturias).

MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Frailty was defined by the presence of ≥3 criteria of Fried's frailty phenotype. Secondary variables: sociodemographic characteristics, health status, functional status, cognitive-affective status and social risk. A bivariate analysis and logistic regression were performed.

RESULTS

Four hundred eight participants were included, with a mean age of 79.8 (SD 6.6), 59.1% female. The prevalence of frailty was 27.7% and 44.9% for pre-frailty. The sociodemographic profile is that of a woman (77%), of high age (>84 years) (50.4%), without studies (65.5%), widow (48.7%) with low economic status (47.8%) and at social risk (OR: 3.3; 95% CI: 2.5-4). Factors that were statistically associated with frailty syndrome were: high comorbidity (OR: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.5-5), polypharmacy (OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-3), perception of quality of life with health (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.93-0.97), impaired ambulation (OR: 17.9; 95% CI: 7.1-45.3), support for walking (OR: 10.5; 95% CI: 4.7-23.4), high risk of falls (OR: 6.4; 95% CI: 3.8-10.8), ABVD (OR: 4; 95% CI: 2.4-6.6), AIVD (OR: 9.7; 95% CI: 4.7-20), disability (OR: 37.7; 95% CI: 52.2-274.5), cognitive impairment (OR: 4.1; 95% CI: 1.8-9.3) and depression (OR: 4.8; 95% CI: 2.7-8.7).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is a multifactorial syndrome, with a high prevalence in those over 70 years of age, in which, in addition to Fried's criteria of frailty, aspects of health, functional, cognitive-affective and social status must be analyzed.