Potential nonpharmacological interventions to prevent frailty among elderly in low- and middle-income countries: A protocol for systematic review

BACKGROUND: Frailty syndrome is a medical condition defined by a progressive loss of function that usually begins beyond 65 and necessitates assistance with daily activities. There are both pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches to prevent frailty. The purpose of this systematic review is to investigate viable nonpharmacological therapies for reducing frailty among the elderly in low- and middle-income countries, to develop an appropriate guideline to determine the applicability of these nonpharmacological interventions in various feasible settings. METHODS: Two independent researchers will explore 5 electronic databases for relevant and promising studies. The selected articles will be subjected to a full-text examination following the initial screening. Two independent authors will analyze the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. The review findings on various nonpharmacological approaches to prevent frailty will be presented as a narrative synthesis. There will be a sensitivity analysis and an assessment of study heterogeneity if possible. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The systematic review protocol has been evaluated and approved by the institutional review board of North South University. The preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocol recommendations for precisely reporting health care interventions and the Cochrane group standards will be strictly followed in this systematic review protocol. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021290417