Prevalence of Cognitive Frailty, Do Psychosocial-Related Factors Matter?

Brain Sci. 2020 Dec 11;10(12):968. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10120968.

Abstract

Cognitive frailty (CF) is a topic of growing interest with implications for the study of preventive interventions in aging. Nevertheless, little research has been done to assess the influence of psychosocial variables on the risk of CF. Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of CF in a Spanish sample and to explore the influence of psychosocial variables in this prevalence. Physical frailty and cognitive, functional, psychosocial, and socio-demographic aspects were assessed in a sample of 285 participants over 60 years. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were carried out. A prevalence of 21.8% (95% CI 17.4-26.9) was established when both frail and pre-frail conditions were included, and a prevalence of 3.2% (95% CI 1.7-5.9) if only frail individuals were considered. Age, educational level, profession and psychological well-being variables significantly predicted CF. Frailty and pre-frailty are high-prevalence health conditions in older adults influenced by socio-demographic, socio-educative and affective factors.

Keywords: CogniFraSp; cognitive frailty; older adults; prevalence; psychosocial factors.