Prevalence and Determinants of Frailty: A Cross-Sectional Study from Rural and Urban Communities in South Lebanon

Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome that poses an increased risk of catastrophic declines in health and functional impairment in older adults. Frailty is a condition associated with aging that has been recognized for centuries. Despite gaining global attention, determinants of frailty have remained unmeasured in rural/urban community settings in Lebanon. This study aimed to identify this gap by assessing the prevalence and determinants of frailty in the absence of disability among the older population living in rural communities in South Lebanon. We conducted a cross-sectional population-based study of 400 older adults aged > 65 living in rural and urban communities in South Lebanon. The adults under study gave their consent to fill out a population characteristic sheet and were then screened for frailty using the “Frailty Phenotype.” The population characteristic sheet entailed different risk factors known to be related to frailty. The prevalence of frailty in South Lebanon was found to be 24.5%, with a high prevalence in urban areas as compared to rural areas. The main factors that stood out in rural and urban areas were: age, female gender, number of chronic diseases, number of medications, obesity, depression, and limited access to health services. The findings shed light on poor aging in rural and urban communities in South Lebanon, as evidenced by frailty prevalence. Our findings suggest the need of frailty awareness (by policymakers and the general public), so as to avoid negative consequences. To reduce the healthcare burden, this study recommends that early screening for frailty in primary care be considered! Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome that poses an increased risk of catastrophic declines in health and functional impairment in older adults. Frailty is a condition associated with aging that has been recognized for centuries. Despite gaining global attention, determinants of frailty have remained unmeasured in rural/urban community settings in Lebanon. This study aimed to identify this gap by assessing the prevalence and determinants of frailty in the absence of disability among the older population living in rural communities in South Lebanon