Relationship between functional performance and frailty among community-dwelling elderly individuals: a cross-sectional study Doi: https://doi.org/10.55522/jhpo.V2I6.0064

Abstract

Given India's aging population, it is essential to comprehend age-related health issues like frailty and functional decline. Reduced physiological reserve is one of the key features of frailty, a clinical condition associated with negative outcomes like disability and falls. Physical ability tests are frequently used to evaluate functional performance, which is a reliable measure of an older adult's independence and overall health. This cross-sectional study included older people over 50 from Ahilyanagar, India.

Frailty was measured using the Physical Frailty Phenotype (PFP), and physical performance was measured using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Pearson correlation was used to assess the relationships between frailty, functional performance, and BMI. Of the forty individuals (mean age: 64.5±6.41 years), 67.5% were deemed weak and 90% showed reduced physical performance. There was a strong negative correlation between frailty and physical performance (r = -0.55, p = 0.009), and higher frailty ratings were associated with worse functional performance. Functional performance and frailty did not appear to be related to BMI. All three SPPB domains—chair stand, gait speed, and balance—showed a significant correlation with frailty (p < 0.05). The study discovered a strong inverse relationship between frailty and functional performance in community-dwelling older adults. Our findings emphasize the importance of early detection and targeted exercise therapy to enhance physical performance and reduce frailty. To further our understanding, larger, more varied sample sizes and additional variables like depression and cognitive function are needed in future research.