journal articles
PREVALENCE OF FRAILTY AND MOBILITY LIMITATION IN A RURAL SETTING IN FRANCE
M. Cesari, L. Demougeot, H. Boccalon, B. Vellas
J Frailty Aging 2012;1(4):169-173
Background: The prevalence of frailty is variable according to the adopted operational definition, the tested population, and the setting where it is explored. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of frailty and mobility disability in community-dwelling persons aged 60 years and older. Design: Cross-sectional analyses. Setting: The rural area of Labastide-Murat (France). Participants: All community-dwelling persons aged 60 years and older living in the area and answering to the study survey (n=572/1022). Measurements: The study questionnaire included questions defining mobility disability (as ability to walk 400 meters and climb up 2 flights of stairs) and frailty (according to the FRAIL instrument and a modified version of the original definition proposed by Fried and colleagues). Results: Mean age of participants was 72.4 years old. Mobility disability was reported by 47 (8.3%) participants. The sedentariness criterion of frailty was the most prevalent in the present population. Overall, according to the FRAIL instrument, 77.6%, 14.0%, and 8.3% could be defined as robust, pre-frail/frail, and disabled, respectively. When the alternative definition of frailty mirroring the definition proposed in the Cardiovascular Health Study was adopted, the prevalence of frailty increased and showed gender-specific differences (p=0.02). Conclusions: A relevant number of older persons living in rural areas experiences physical impairments and presents an increased risk for major negative health-related events. These results may support the ongoing clinical and research actions aimed at preventing the functional decline in elders.
CITATION:
M. Cesari ; L. Demougeot ; H. Boccalon ; B. Vellas (2012): PREVALENCE OF FRAILTY AND MOBILITY LIMITATION IN A RURAL SETTING IN FRANCE. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2012.26