Assessment of Physical Fitness and Risk Factors for the Occurrence of the Frailty Syndrome among Social Welfare Homes’ Residents over 60 Years of Age in Poland

Antonina Kaczorowska, Katarzyna Szwamel, Małgorzata Fortuna, Agata Mroczek, Ewelina Lepsy and Aleksandra Katan
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Antonina Kaczorowska: Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 45-060 Opole, Poland
Katarzyna Szwamel: Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 45-060 Opole, Poland
Małgorzata Fortuna: Faculty of Medical Sciences and Technology, The Karkonosze University of Applied Sciences in Jelenia Góra, 58-503 Jelenia Góra, Poland
Agata Mroczek: Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 45-060 Opole, Poland
Ewelina Lepsy: Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 45-060 Opole, Poland
Aleksandra Katan: Rehabilitation Department, District Hospital Nachod, 547 69 Nachod, Czech Republic

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: The study aimed at assessing physical fitness and occurrence of the frailty syndrome among social welfare homes’ residents as well as defining factors which determine the level of frailty and its occurrence. The examination included 198 residents (115 females and 83 males of average age 75.5 ± 10.21) and was carried out with the use of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) test with the following cut-off points: 0–6—frail, 7–9—pre-frail, 10–12—non-frail. The research additionally collected data regarding age, gender, number of chronic diseases, education level, type of prior work and current physical activity. In addition, the height and weight of the respondents were measured. The frailty syndrome was found in more than a half of the examinees (104; 52.53%), the pre-frailty state in 30.30% ( n = 60) and 17.17% ( n = 34) were non-frail. The average result of the SPPB test was 6.52 ± 2.73, which proves a moderate limitation of the sample group’s fitness. No significant differences were noted between female and male respondents ( p = 0.27). The multifactorial linear regression model showed that independent and direct frailty syndrome predicators included age, number of chronic diseases and regular physical activity ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, promoting and encouraging regular, age and interest-related forms of physical activity among seniors might foster the maintenance of their physiological reservoir and functional efficiency.

Keywords: aging; physical functional performance; nursing homes; frailty syndrome; physical fitness; gait analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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