title: [Frailty comprises more than mental health].
abstract: In a recent study published in this journal, a frailty index was operationally defined by 14 items from 'The older people and informal caregivers survey - minimum data set' (TOPICS-MDS). These items remained after other items from the TOPICS data set were used separately to define morbidity and disability. These 14 items predominantly pertain to mental health. A frailty index, however, should include all deficits, i.e. symptoms, morbidity and disability. If anything, these 14 items should be more properly labelled as mental health.
authors.affiliation: VU medisch centrum, afd. Psychiatrie en afd. Epidemiologie en Biostatistiek, EMGO+-Instituut voor Gezondheids- en Zorgonderzoek, Amsterdam.
authors.forename: Dorly J H
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Deeg
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D011788:Quality of Life