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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Antecedents of frailty over three decades in an older cohort | | Author(s) | William J Strawbridge, Sarah J Shema, Jennifer L Balfour |
| Journal title | The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological sciences and social sciences, vol 53B, no 1, January 1998 |
| Pages | pp S9-S16 |
| Keywords | Physical disabilities ; Sense organ problems ; Mobility ; Health [elderly] ; Cognitive processes ; Mental disorder ; Quality of life ; Longitudinal surveys ; United States of America. |
| Annotation | Studies of disability in older age have focused on gross measures of physical functioning. More useful results for prevention might be gleaned from examining risk factors associated with frailty, a concept implying a broader range of more subtle problems in multiple domains. This study conceptualised frailty as involving problems or difficulties in two or more functional domains (physical, nutritive, cognitive, and sensory) and analysed prospective predictors. Subjects were 574 respondents from the Alameda County Study, a longitudinal study of health and mortality. Of the respondents, 25% scored as frail; there were no gender differences. Frail persons reported reduced activities, poorer mental health, and lower life satisfaction. Cumulative predictors over the previous three decades included heavy drinking, smoking, physical inactivity, depression, social isolation, fair or poor perceived health, prevalence of chronic symptoms, and prevalence of chronic conditions. The study concluded that by modifying these risk factors, it may be possibly to postpone the onset of frailty or ameliorate its further development. |
| Accession Number | CPA-980310408 A |
| Classmark | BN: BLP: C4: CC: DA: E: F:59: 3J: 7T |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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