Abstract
Background
Frailty is an important predictor of adverse health outcomes in older adults, but evidence from community settings in Vietnam remains limited. This study examined the association between frailty and adverse health outcomes among community-dwelling older adults.
Methods
In this prospective cohort study, 1,208 community-dwelling older adults were assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and followed for 12 months. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, falls, and hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the independent association between frailty and adverse outcomes.
Results
Of the participants, 59.9% were robust, 7.8% vulnerable, 31.2% had mild-to-moderate frailty, and 1.2% had severe frailty. During follow-up, 23.6% experienced at least one adverse outcome. Event rates increased progressively across frailty categories, from 9.7% in robust participants to 64.3% in those with severe frailty (
P
for trend P
Conclusion
Frailty was highly prevalent and strongly associated with adverse health outcomes among community-dwelling older adults. These findings support the use of the Clinical Frailty Scale to identify community-dwelling older adults who may benefit from closer monitoring and targeted preventive care.