Prevalence of frailty and association with intrinsic capacity decline among community-dwelling older people in Cameroon: a cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Frailty and impairment in intrinsic capacity (IC) have been shown to increase the risk of poor outcomes in older people. We aimed to determine the prevalence of frailty and its association with decline in IC among people aged 60 and over in Cameroon. Methods: This cross-sectional study included community-dwellers aged ≥ 60 years. Frailty was assessed using Fried’s criteria and IC decline using step 1 of the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE). Any abnormality reported for one of the six IC domains was considered as a positive screening. The significance level was p < 0.05. Results: Among 108 participants included (64.8% women, median age 70 years (65–75)), all had a decline of at least one IC. The prevalence of frailty was 52.8%.The main domains involved were cognition (93.5%), vision (88%) and hearing (87%). Compared to participants without frailty, the frail group was older, achieved lower education, had fewer children, had a more frequent history of falls and a higher number of deficits in IC domains. In the multivariable model, after adjusting for age, sex and comorbidities, the participants with preserved mobility (OR 0.18, 95%CI 0.068–0.49) and vitality (OR 0.11 95%CI 0.04–0.28) were likely to have a lower risk of frailty. Conclusion: Frailty and IC impairment were common in this group of older Cameroonians. Further research with the monitoring of trajectories of IC and frailty as a research outcome may allow better comparison to tailor interventions taking into account our local resources. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.