title: Associations between Frailty, Complex Care Needs and Quality of Life in Multi-Morbid Older People.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known regarding the complex care needs, level of frailty or quality of life of multi-morbid older patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between frailty, complexity of care and quality of life in multi-morbid older people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen primary care practices in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  1,150 multi-morbid older people living in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  The level of frailty was assessed with the Groningen Frailty Indicator. Complexity of care needs was measured with the Intermed for the Elderly Self-Assessment. Quality of life (QoL) was measured with two items of the RAND-36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 758 out of 1,150 (65.9%) patients were frail, 8.3% had complex care needs, and the mean QoL score was 7.1 (standard deviation 1.2). Correlations between frailty and complexity, frailty and QoL, and complexity of care and QoL were 0.67, -0.51 and -0.52 (all p<0.001) respectively. All patients with complex care needs were frail, but, only 12.5% of the frail patients had complex care needs. Problems at climbing up stairs was associated with higher levels of frailty and complexity of care but with a lower QoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher levels of frailty and complexity of care are associated with a lower QoL in multi-morbid older people. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding these concepts and are valuable for the development of tailored interventions for older persons in the future.
authors.affiliation: Nienke Bleijenberg, RN, PhD. Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan100, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. Phone: +31 88 75 53612; Fax: +31 88 75 68099; email: N.Bleijenberg@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bleijenberg
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Ten Dam
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Drubbel
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Numans
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Schuurmans