Identifying frailty risk profiles of home-dwelling older people: focus on sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
This paper investigates risk profiles of frailty among older people, as these are essential for detecting those individuals at risk for adverse outcomes and to undertake specific preventive actions. Frailty is not only a physical problem, but also refers to emotional, social, and environmental hazards.



Using data generated from the Belgian Ageing Studies, a cross-sectional study (n = 28,049), we tested a multivariate regression model that included sociodemographic and socioeconomic indicators as well as four dimensions of frailty, for men and women separately.



The findings indicated that for both men and women, increased age, having no partner, having moved house in the previous 10 years, having a lower educational level and having a lower household income are risk characteristics for frailty. Moreover, when looking at the different frailty domains, different risk profiles arose, and gender-specific risk characteristics were detected.



This paper elaborates on practical implications, and formulates a number of future research recommendations to tackle frailty in an aging society. The conclusion demonstrates the necessity for a thorough knowledge of risk profiles of frailty, as this will save both time and money and permit preventive actions to be more individually tailored.
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Sarah
S
Dury
b Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior , University of Antwerp , Antwerp , Belgium.|c Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Ellen
0000-0002-6566-6562
E
De Roeck
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Daan
D
Duppen
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Bram
B
Fret
d Faculty of Education, Health and Social Work , University College Ghent , Gent , Belgium.
Lieve
L
Hoeyberghs
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Deborah
D
Lambotte
e Department of General Practice , Catholic University of Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
Michaël
M
Van der Elst
f Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands.
Anne
A
van der Vorst
f Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands.|g Department of General Practice, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands.
Jos
J
Schols
f Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands.
Gertrudis
G
Kempen
f Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care , Maastricht University , Maastricht , The Netherlands.
G A
GA
Rixt Zijlstra
h Department of Public Health and Primary Care , University of Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
Jan
J
De Lepeleire
h Department of Public Health and Primary Care , University of Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
Birgitte
B
Schoenmakers
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Tinie
T
Kardol
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.|d Faculty of Education, Health and Social Work , University College Ghent , Gent , Belgium.
Nico
N
De Witte
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Dominique
D
Verté
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Liesbeth
L
De Donder
b Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior , University of Antwerp , Antwerp , Belgium.
Peter Paul
PP
De Deyn
b Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior , University of Antwerp , Antwerp , Belgium.
Sebastiaan
S
Engelborghs
a Department of Educational Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
An-Sofie
AS
Smetcoren
c Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology , Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
Eva
E
Dierckx
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000073496:Frailty / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
Frail older adults; frailty; multiple linear regressions; populations at risk; risk factors