Frailty and its Associated Factors Among Rural Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

To investigate the status quo and influencing factors of overall frailty and its 3 domains among rural community-dwelling older adults. This is a cross-sectional study. A convenience sample of 195 older adults from 6 villages in Bashang Area of Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, China, were recruited from August to September, 2022. The demographic characteristics, the Chinese version of Tilburg Frailty Indicator, Charlson Comorbidity Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used to investigate frailty and its influencing factors. Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were employed. The prevalence of overall frailty among the older adults in Bashang Area was 85.13%. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age, gender, marital status, regular exercise, comorbidity, and anxiety were the influencing factors of overall frailty. While anxiety was the only shared influencing factor for physical frailty, psychological frailty, and social frailty, age, gender, marital status, financial burden, the comorbidity, and regular exercise were factors which influenced 1 or 2 domains of frailty. The prevalence of overall frailty among the older adults in rural areas, Zhangjiakou City is high. It is influenced by many factors. Medical staff and policy makers should work hand in hand to improve frailty among rural community-dwelling older adults in China.