Introduction:

In Latin America, the prevalence of frailty syndrome in non-institutionalized elderly adults aged 60 years and older ranges from 7.7 to 39.3%. In Peru, few studies have addressed this topic and its associated factors in similar populations.

Objective:

To identify the prevalence of frailty and the associated factors in elderly adults from seven primary care centers.

Methods:

Analytical and cross-sectional study whose outcome variable was the presence of frailty, according to the Fried criteria. We also included sociodemographic data (for occupation, the classifications of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology [SEE in Spanish] and the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine [SEMFyC in Spanish] were used), depression screening (using the Yesavage scale), degree of functionality (using the Barthel index), and comorbidities (using the Geriatric Index of Comorbidity and Greenfield’s severity index).

Results:

116 older adults were evaluated. The prevalence of frailty was 20.7%. The associated factors were having two or more illnesses (RPa=3.33; 95% CI: 1.04-10.68), having moderate depression (RPa=6.50; 95% CI: 2.52-16.75), and moderate dependence for performing daily-life activities (RPa=2.63; 95% CI: 2.63-14.15). Protective factors were having had a class III occupation (RPa=0.11; 95% CI: 0.02-0.54), class IV (RPa=0.07; 95% CI: 0.01-0.35), or class V (RPa=0.24; 95% CI: 0.09-0.60), and living with a relative (RPa=0.25; 95% CI: 0.08-0.74).

Conclusion:

One in five elderly adults was frail. Depressive symptoms, having two or more comorbidities, and being dependent for daily-life activities were factors associated with frailty. On the other hand, working in non-managerial positions and living with a family member were protective factors.

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