Prevalence of Frailty and Related Factors in the Elderly Referred to the Emergency Department of Ardabil Medical Education Centers in 2020

Frailty is a prevalent aging syndrome that causes adverse health outcomes in the elderly. Socioeconomic status and chronic illness may increase the risk of frailty syndrome. The aim of this study was to Prevalence of Frailty and Related Factors in the Elderly Referred to the Emergency Department of Ardabil Medical Education Centers in 2020.

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 505 elderly people referred to the emergency department were selected by the available sampling method. frailty syndrome was assessed using the five criteria of Fried Which included: 1) unintentional weight loss, 2) exhaustion, 3) slow walking, 4) physical activity, and 5) weakness. Chronic diseases were assessed self-report. Polypharmacy considered the use of 5 or more drugs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation, and inferential including analysis of variance, independent t-test, chi-square and linear regression using SPSS 22 statistical software.

The mean age of participants was 70/91±7/49. 255 (50.5%) were male, 318 (63%) were married and 271 (53.7%) were illiterate. 204 (40.4%) of the elderly who referred to the emergency department were frailty and 161 (78.9) elderly people with frailty had hypertension. The variables of age, education, family composition, heart disease, hypertension, hospitalization, and fall were predictors of frailty syndrome in the elderly referred to the emergency department.

By identification of frailty syndrome and appropriate intervention based on predictive factors such as age, education, family composition, heart disease, hypertension, hospitalization, polypharmacy and fall can reduce the adverse health outcome of frailty syndrome