TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical frailty in chilean older persons
T2 - The role of social relationships, multimorbidity, and mental health
AU - Carrasco-Díaz, Beatriz
AU - Gallardo-Peralta, Lorena P.
AU - Araya, Alejandra Ximena
AU - Herrera, María Soledad
AU - Pedrero, Víctor
AU - Sequeira Daza, Doris
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2025/3/1
Y1 - 2025/3/1
N2 - Aims: the objective of this study is to analyze the mediating role of loneliness, social isolation, and depressive symptoms in the relationship between multimorbidity and physical frailty among Chilean older adults living in the community, following the frailty model proposed by Gobbens. Methods: A total of 2132 older people were studied through a cross-sectional analysis of data from a population-based survey, using hierarchical linear regression and mediations with Hayes’ method. Variables of Gobbens’ model guided the data analysis. Results: Regression analysis revealed significant associations between physical frailty and age, education, self-perceived economic status, physical activity, social relationships, mental health, and multimorbidity. Mediation analysis confirmed that loneliness, social isolation, and depressive symptoms are partial mediators in the relationship between multimorbidity and frailty. Conclusions: Multimorbidity contributes significantly to physical frailty. Loneliness and social isolation show weaker associations with frailty, whereas depressive symptoms have a more substantial mediating role. These results underscore the need to integrate these factors into frailty interventions for older people.
AB - Aims: the objective of this study is to analyze the mediating role of loneliness, social isolation, and depressive symptoms in the relationship between multimorbidity and physical frailty among Chilean older adults living in the community, following the frailty model proposed by Gobbens. Methods: A total of 2132 older people were studied through a cross-sectional analysis of data from a population-based survey, using hierarchical linear regression and mediations with Hayes’ method. Variables of Gobbens’ model guided the data analysis. Results: Regression analysis revealed significant associations between physical frailty and age, education, self-perceived economic status, physical activity, social relationships, mental health, and multimorbidity. Mediation analysis confirmed that loneliness, social isolation, and depressive symptoms are partial mediators in the relationship between multimorbidity and frailty. Conclusions: Multimorbidity contributes significantly to physical frailty. Loneliness and social isolation show weaker associations with frailty, whereas depressive symptoms have a more substantial mediating role. These results underscore the need to integrate these factors into frailty interventions for older people.
KW - Depressive symptoms
KW - Frailty
KW - Loneliness
KW - Multimorbidity
KW - Social isolation
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85217061477
U2 - 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2025.01.040
DO - 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2025.01.040
M3 - Article
C2 - 39921998
AN - SCOPUS:85217061477
SN - 0197-4572
VL - 62
SP - 136
EP - 143
JO - Geriatric Nursing
JF - Geriatric Nursing
ER -