This study aims to identify the association between the concentration of particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5), <10 μm (PM10), and ozone (O3) and frailty. The Korean Frailty Scale (KFS, 0-6 points) assessing physical, psychological, and social frailty, was applied to 2912 community-dwelling older adults between April 2016 and December 2017. Daily average concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, and O3 (2015-2017) were obtained and matched with the residential areas. The frailty risk associated with exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and O3 was evaluated using multiple logistic regression after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and comorbidity. Participants were categorized into robust (0 points, 28.7%), pre-frail (1-2 points, 50.1%), and frail (≥3 points, 21.2%) groups. Each 1 μg/m3 increase of PM2.5 and PM10 increased the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the frail group compared to the robust group: 1.055 (1.002, 1.112) and 1.095 (1.060, 1.131), and the pre-frail group: 1.053 (1.017, 1.090) and 1.062 (1.037, 1.087), respectively. Each 1-ppb increase of O3 increased the OR (95% CI) of the frail group: 1.041 (1.023, 1.059) and the pre-frail group: 1.005 (0.985, 1.025). PM2.5, PM10, and O3 may be associated dose-dependently with the frailty.
Keywords: air pollution; frail elderly; ozone; particulate matter.