Correlates of Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Cancer: 2017 Survey of Living Condition of Elderly Study in South Korea

OBJECTIVE: Frailty is prevalent among community-dwelling older adults with cancer and is associated with increased mortality and complications of treatments. However, evidence on the multiple factors influencing frailty in this population is scarce. This paper aimed to identify the demographic, sociobehavioral, and health status-related correlates of frailty in community-dwelling older adults with cancer. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using data from the fourth wave of the Living Condition of Elderly Study in South Korea conducted in 2017. Among the 10,299 individuals aged ≥65 years who participated in the survey, data of 391 individuals with cancer were analyzed. Frailty status (robust, prefrailty, and frailty) was assessed using the Korean version of the 5-item: Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, and Loss of weight scale. We performed descriptive statistical analysis to report summary measures, and bivariate (t-test, Chi-squared test, and analysis of variance) and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: Frailty and prefrailty were prevalent in 24.8% and 50.6% of the participants, respectively. The strongest correlate of frailty was a greater level of depression, followed by low levels of physical activity, dependency in instrumental activities of daily living, a greater number of comorbidities, an advanced age, a lower household income, and a widowed marital status. CONCLUSIONS: Community-dwelling older adults who had cancer and depression had the highest risk of frailty. Given the adverse impact of frailty on health outcomes in this population, health-care providers need to provide interventions incorporating the management of depression, physical activity, and comorbidities to prevent or manage frailty.