Objectives: The main objective of the present work is to evaluate the feasibility of harmonising the available information from different independent databases, in order to build an integrated database to study frailty.
Material and methods: This work is based on the European project, Integral Approach to the Transition between Frailty and Dependence on older adults: Patterns of occurrence, identification tools and model of care (INTAFRADE), developed by 4 groups, 3 in Spain and one in France. Each partner provided their databases related to the study of frailty. As a previous step to the creation of an integrated database the characteristics and variables included in each study were mapped, specifying whether their harmonisation was possible or not.
Results: A total of 30 different variables that corresponded to 8 dimensions were identified: Sociodemographic and social characteristics, health status, lifestyle habits, anthropometric measures, other physical measurements, use of health services, and adverse health results. Of them all, 28 (93%) variables were harmonisable, although only 20% were present in all databases, with 47% in 3 of them. In relation to the frailty instruments, all of them were lacking at least 50% of the items. The harmonisation process will allow us to jointly analyse information available on 2,361 people.
Conclusions: The European INTAFRADE study will allow a deeper understanding of the frailty process in older people by harmonising information from heterogeneous databases.
Keywords: Armonización; Fragilidad; Frailty; Harmonisation; Mapeo; Mapping; Older people; Personas mayores.
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