Relationship Between Social Activity and Frailty in Japanese Older Women During Restriction on Outings due to COVID-19

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the relationship between social activities and frailty during the restriction on outings due to COVID-19. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: This study was conducted in City Nishinomiya of Prefecture Hyogo, in Japan. A mail survey was carried out among women aged 65 years or older in May 2020. A population of 293 women aged 65 years or older living in the community was recruited for the study and 213 of them were analyzed. MEASUREMENTS: The survey included questions on sex, age, height, weight, and social activity. Social activity consisted of participation in social organizations and their frequency, as well as frequency of interaction with family and friends. The survey also asked if regular social activity had been impeded by COVID-19. RESULTS: A significant association was found between frailty and hindered interaction with friends (β: 0.176, p = .014). Multivariate linear regression analysis confirmed that this association was also significant in Model 1 (β: 0.158, p = .025), and Model 2 (β: 0.148, p = .034). CONCLUSIONS: No association between being hindered in social activity and frailty was found in older women living in the community during the restriction on outings due to COVID-19.