Prevalence of Frailty And Its Associated Factor Among Rural Community Dwelling Elderly In Sarawak

Coleen Wong, Yit Lin and Cheah, Whye Lian (2025) Prevalence of Frailty And Its Associated Factor Among Rural Community Dwelling Elderly In Sarawak. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 21 (6). pp. 1-11. ISSN 2636-9346

PDF Frailty n factors elderly Sarawak (Coleen) MJMHS 2025.pdf Download (287kB)

Abstract

Introduction: Frailty, a condition of increased vulnerability to stressors, contributes to adverse health outcomes among the elderly, yet its prevalence and associated risk factors in rural Sarawak remain understudied, necessitating localized research and interventions to mitigate its impact. This study evaluated the prevalence of frailty and its association with socio-demographic factors, social factors, health status, and nutritional status among community dwelling elderly in Bau, Sarawak. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study sampled 268 community-dwelling elderly aged 60 and older in Bau, Sarawak, using stratified random sampling over 16 weeks. Face-to-face interviews on socio-demography, health, social factors, anthropometric measurements, and assessment of frailty via the Malay Pictorial Fit-Frail Scale, with frailty defined by scores of 6 and above, analysed using SPSS version 29.0. Results: The response rate was 95%. The mean age in this study was 70.2 (7.34). The prevalence of frail elderly was 35%. Binary logistic regression showed the elderly living alone (OR= 6.34, 95% CI= 1.695-23.665, p <0.05), without mobile devices (OR= 2.97, 95% CI= 1.132-7.766, p<0.05), with 1-year fall history (OR= 11.8, 95% CI= 2.559-54.408, p <0.05), and with low social support (OR= 3.43, 95% CI= 1.552-7.593, p <0.05) face significantly higher risks of frailty. Conclusion: The study found sociodemographic, social, and health factors affecting frailty. Thus, a community-based multimodal aged care program that targets both physical and social methods of reducing frailty in the elderly by enhancing physical strength, fostering social connections, and empowering elderly individuals through technology use would be beneficial to the communities of rural Sarawak.

Actions (For repository members only: login required)

View Item