Prevalence and potential influencing factors for social frailty among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the prevalence and potential influencing factors of social frailty among community-dwelling older adults from a global perspective.

METHODS

Systematic searches were conducted on multiple databases including CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, CBM, Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase from inception to January 9, 2024. Two researchers performed a thorough literature search, gathered data, and independently evaluated the quality of the articles.

RESULTS

2,426 literatures were examined, 45 were found to meet the specified criteria for inclusion, encompassing 314,454 participants. The combined prevalence of social pre-frailty and social frailty among community-dwelling older adults were found to be 34.5% and 21.1%, respectively. Depression, activities of daily living (ADL), physical inactivity, motor deficits, cognitive impairment, and physical frailty are potential risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Social pre-frailty and social frailty are frequent challenges faced by older adults living in the community. The prevalence of these conditions has been on the rise in recent years, underscoring the importance of implementing effective interventions. Early identification and intervention for individuals at risk of social frailty are essential for promoting healthy and active aging globally.