Prevalence of frailty in geriatric population of Ahmedabad, Gujarat: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Frailty syndrome is a transitional state in a dynamic process, dependent on various physical, psychological, and social factors, which interact and disturb the physiological balance. Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI) is a valid multidimensional assessment tool of frailty. Most developed countries recognize frailty as a syndrome. In India, the number of elderly population is increasing, with few studies on frailty. Purpose: Hence, this study aimed to find the prevalence of frailty among the elderly population of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Methods: An observational study of 200 geriatric people aged more than 60 years was conducted in the community using convenience sampling. They were asked to fill out the TFI along with demographic data. Results: Among 200 geriatric people screened, 26.5% (36.7% of women and 18.6% of men) were found to be frail, mean score of TFI = 3.3 ± 2.15. Association of frailty scores was tested with gender using Chi-square test, χ2 (1) = 0.80 (P < 0.05) was found. Conclusion: The prevalence of frailty was 26.5% among the elderly population of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.