Physical frailty, activity limitation and mortality in older Brazilians: longitudinal findings from FIBRA-BH study (2009-2019)

Abstract

The aim was to investigate the longitudinal association between physical frailty and change in the profile of limitation to perform basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL) and mortality in a 10-year period in Brazilian community-dwelling older people. A longitudinal study was conducted with data from the Frailty in Brazilian Older People (FIBRA) study, 2009-2019. Physical frailty was categorized into vulnerability (pre-frail and frail) and robustness (non-frail). The generalized estimating equation and the Cox proportional hazards models were used in the data analysis. Out of 200 older people evaluated in 2009 (moment 1), 139 were located in 2019 (moment 2). Of these, 102 were interviewed and 37 deaths were recorded. The chance of vulnerable older people at moment 1 being dependent on performing BADL at moment 2 was 4.19-fold the chance of robust older people. For IADL, the chance of vulnerable older people at moment 1 being dependent at moment 2 was 3.12-fold the chance of robust older people. Cox’s analysis showed that the risk of death among vulnerable older people was 2.50-fold that among robust older people. The results reinforce the importance of monitoring and early intervention to prevent frailty, and the limitation to performing activities of daily living and death among Brazilian older people.