LAUSR.org creates dashboard-style pages of related content for over 1.5 million academic articles. Sign Up to like articles & get recommendations!

Feasibility and Factor Structure of the FRAIL Scale in Older Adults.

Photo by calum_mac from unsplash

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to (1) evaluate a geriatric outpatient sample with the FRAIL scale; (2) investigate the psychometric properties of the scale; and (3) characterize… Click to show full abstract

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to (1) evaluate a geriatric outpatient sample with the FRAIL scale; (2) investigate the psychometric properties of the scale; and (3) characterize different associations of the subdimensions of the scale with demographic and clinical data. DESIGN Cross-sectional observational study. SETTING Geriatric outpatient center a university-based hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. PARTICIPANTS A total of 811 men and women aged 60 years or older evaluated between March 2015 and September 2015. MEASUREMENTS A translated version of the FRAIL scale was used to evaluate frailty. A review of sociodemographic data, medical records, medication, and laboratory data was conducted. A multivariate ordinal logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between frailty categories and clinical variables. Exploratory factor analysis and 2-parameter logistic item response theory was used to evaluate the psychometric properties of the FRAIL scale. RESULTS The sample was distributed as 13.6% robust, 48.7% prefrail, and 37.7% frail older adults. Most participants reported fatigue (72.3%). Frailty was associated with older age (P = .02), depression (P = .02), dementia (P < .001), and number of medications taken (P < .001). A 2-factor model of the FRAIL scale ("ambulation" and "resistance" namely physical performance; "fatigue," "weight loss," and "illnesses" namely health status) provided independent classifications of frailty status. Physical performance (ambulation and resistance) was strongly associated with higher age and dementia, whereas health status (fatigue, weight loss, and illnesses) was more associated with female sex and depression. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest the existence of 2 subdimensions of the scale, suggesting different pathways to frailty. Frailty was associated with older age, depression, dementia, and number of medications in this outpatient sample.

Keywords: feasibility factor; frail scale; frailty; older adults; scale

Journal Title: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Year Published: 2017

Link to full text (if available)


Share on Social Media:                               Sign Up to like & get
recommendations!

Related content

More Information              News              Social Media              Video              Recommended



                Click one of the above tabs to view related content.