Transition of Physical, Psychological, and Cognitive Frailty and Its' Associated Determinants in Malaysian Older Adults: A 5-Year Follow-up Study.
Abstract
Frailty, a multifaceted syndrome, affects approximately 26% of older adults globally, yet there are limited data on the prevalence and longitudinal impact of frailty subtypes. Therefore, in this study, we aim to determine the prevalence of physical, psychological, and cognitive frailty, transitions between subtypes, and associated health determinants among Malaysian community-dwelling older adults. This study is part of the longitudinal aging study in Malaysia (LRGS Ageless and TUA). We assessed 815 older adults in 2014, with successful follow-up of 402 participants (mean age: 67.08 ± 5.38 years) after 5 years. Frailty subtypes were assessed at baseline, and transitions were evaluated at the 5-year mark. At baseline, the prevalence of older adults categorized as robust, physical frailty, cognitive frailty, and psychological frailty was 26.7%, 36.3%, 12.1%, and 16.7%, respectively, with 8.1% exhibiting concurrent psychological and cognitive frailty. Follow-up results showed that 22.9% remained robust, 46.8% experienced no change, 24.9% deteriorated (adversed), and 5.5% improved (reversed). Logistic regression analysis identified living alone (
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Research summary
The paper addresses the prevalence and transitions of frailty subtypes among older adults, which is relevant to understanding aging and its associated challenges. However, it primarily focuses on the symptoms and consequences of frailty rather than addressing the root causes of aging or proposing interventions that could extend lifespan or improve healthspan. The findings contribute to the existing knowledge on frailty but do not present significant advancements that could transform the field of longevity research.
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