Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health

Association of Multimorbidity And Frailty Among Middle Aged and Older Population: Evidence from Longitudinal Aging Study in India (Lasi-1st Wave).

Abstract

Pritam Halder, Anamika Soni, Saumyarup Pal, Anshul Mamgai, Amartya Dutta, and Arpan Das, Shivani Rathor

Introduction: Frailty is associated with older age and multimorbidity (two or more long-term conditions); We aimed to investigate frailty among the >=45 years population, and its association with multimorbidity. This paper aims to examine the association between frailty and multimorbidity in middle aged and older population.
Methods: The analysis used data from the first wave of LASI, a longitudinal survey from 35 Indian states and union territories intended to collect detailed information on the psychological, social, economic, and health aspects of ageing in India. Self-reported exhaustion, unintentional weight loss, weak grip strength, self-reported low physical activity, and slow walking time. Participants were categorised as having ‘no frailty’ (score 0 to 2 and ‘frailty’ (score >3).
Findings: 56492 participants aged 45 years or more were included in the study, of whom 8802 (15.58% were considered frail. Frailty was significantly associated with multimorbidity [prevalence 67.41% (at least one morbidity)]; odds ratio [OR] 1.65, 95% CI 1.52-1.79). Socioeconomic deprivation, living area, occupation, obesity, smoking, and infrequent alcohol consumption seems to play an important role in deciding frailty status. The top five conditions associated with frailty were hypertension, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease and chronic heart disease. Female gender was significantly associated with frailty.
Conclusion: Our emphasis on inclusive efforts for identifying, managing, and preventing frailty among older adults with multimorbidity is crucial. Shifting the focus from single conditions to the complexity of patient populations aligns with the multifactorial nature of frailty. This holistic approach, encompassing research, clinical guidelines, and healthcare services, is pivotal for providing comprehensive care to a growing demographic facing intricate health challenges

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