Frailty syndrome and associated factors in the elderly in emergency care

Abstract

Objective: To identify the associated factors for frailty syndrome in elderly people treated in an Emergency Care unit. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study with 146 elderly patients treated in an Emergency Care unit in the inlands of the state of Paraíba in August and September 2017. A questionnaire, the Edmonton Frail Scale and the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test were used for sample characterization. The analysis of results was performed using descriptive statistics (absolute and relative frequency, mean, median, standard deviation and coefficient of variation) and inferential statistics (Pearson's chi-square, Fisher's exact test and multiple logistic regression). Results: Elderly subjects identified as frail were male (58.5%), over 70 years old (80.7%), with no relationship (47.4%), literate (61.0%), not working (54.9%), living with a child and spouse (63.2%), share responsibilities (55.9%) and have more than six children (59.6%). The red triage area predominated (80.0%) among frail elderly people, while the most prevalent type of complaint was acute (41.7%). Most elderly were at risk for violence (58.4%). Conclusion: Educational level, not working, classification areas and risk for violence were factors associated with frailty syndrome and influenced its outcome.