Highlights
- •The online FRAIL scale predicts functional limitations and hospitalization in Chinese older persons.
- •The online FRAIL scale could be adopted in the routine workflow of community elderly centres, which might facilitate frailty prevention.
- •Further effort is required to improve the acceptability of the online FRAIL scale among older persons.
Abstract
Objectives
To assess the validity and acceptability of the online FRAIL scale in identifying
frailty in community settings.
Methods
Frailty was assessed using the online version of the FRAIL scale (a simple frailty
questionnaire). Validity of the scale was examined in a sample of 1882 persons aged
60 years or older (inlcuding a pilot sample of 65 persons for assessing the face validity)
recruited from 24 elderly centres in Hong Kong. Convergent validity was estimated
using correlation coefficients between scores on the FRAIL, SARC-F (a simple questionnaire
for assessing sarcopenia) and AMIC (Abbreviated Memory Inventory for the Chinese).
Predictive validity was examined by logistic regression using IADL (Instrumental Activities
of Daily Living) limitations and hospitalization as outcomes. Acceptability of the
scale was assessed from the perspective of a sub-sample of 205 older persons and 33
centre staff.
Results
Following minor revisions, all participants were able to understand and answer the
online FRAIL scale. The FRAIL scale correlated with SARC-F (r = 0.627, p < 0.001)
and AMIC (r = 0.302, p < 0.001). Being pre-frail and frail were associated with incident
IADL limitations (OR = 1.58, 95 %CI = 1.11−2.25 and OR = 3.01, 95 %CI = 1.87−4.84,
respectively) and incident hospitalization (OR = 1.38, 95 %CI = 1.03−1.85 and OR =
2.79, 95 %CI = 1.89−4.12, respectively) at year 2, after controlling for age, sex,
marital status, and educational level. 77.8 % of participants agreed that the scale
would enable them to understand their health status. However, only 35.0 % accepted
a digital approach for conducting health assessment or accessing assessment results.
90.9 % of centre staff agreed that the scale could be used to identify their members
who are potential candidates for frailty intervention.
Conclusions
The online FRAIL scale is valid for use in community elderly centres in identifying
frailty. Further effort is required to improve the acceptability of the online FRAIL
scale among older persons.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 14, 2020
Accepted:
December 13,
2020
Received in revised form:
November 25,
2020
Received:
October 9,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
