Prevalence and correlates of frailty among community-dwelling older men and women: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study.
BACKGROUND
frailty, a multi-dimensional geriatric syndrome, confers a high risk for falls, disability, hospitalisation and mortality. The prevalence and correlates of frailty in the UK are unknown.


METHODS
frailty, defined by Fried, was examined among community-dwelling young-old (64-74 years) men (n = 320) and women (n = 318) who participated in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study, UK.


RESULTS
the prevalence of frailty was 8.5% among women and 4.1% among men (P = 0.02). Among men, older age (P = 0.009), younger age of leaving education (P = 0.05), not owning/mortgaging one's home (odds ratio [OR] for frailty 3.45 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.01-11.81], P = 0.05, in comparison with owner/mortgage occupiers) and reduced car availability (OR for frailty 3.57 per unit decrease in number of cars available [95% CI 1.32, 10.0], P = 0.01) were associated with increased odds of frailty. Among women, not owning/mortgaging one's home (P = 0.02) was associated with frailty. With the exception of car availability among men (P = 0.03), all associations were non-significant (P > 0.05) after adjustment for co-morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
frailty is not uncommon even among community-dwelling young-old men and women in the UK. There are social inequalities in frailty which appear to be mediated by co-morbidity.
Syddall
Holly
H
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, University of Southampton, UK.
Roberts
Helen C
HC
Evandrou
Maria
M
Cooper
Cyrus
C
Bergman
Howard
H
Aihie Sayer
Avan
A
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires