Prevalence, transitions and factors predicting transition between frailty states among rural community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia.

OBJECTIVES:This study aims to describe the prevalence and transitions of frailty among rural-community dwelling older adults in Malaysia and to analyse factors associated with different states of frailty transition. Frailty was conceptualized using modified Fried phenotype from the Cardiovascular Health Study. DESIGN:This is a prospective longitudinal study with 12-months follow up among older adults in Malaysia. SETTING:Kuala Pilah, a district in Negeri Sembilan, which is one of the fourteen states in Malaysia. PARTICIPANTS:2,324 community-dwelling older Malaysians aged 60 years and older. RESULTS:The overall prevalence of frailty in this study was 9.4% (95% CI 7.8-11.2). The prevalence increased at least three-fold with every 10 years of age. This increase was seen higher in women compared to men. Being frail was significantly associated with older age, women, and respondents with a higher number of chronic diseases, poor cognitive function and low socioeconomic status (p