Behavior
The Association Between Social Activities and Physical Frailty: Cross-Sectional Evidence from Community-Dwelling Older Adults Yu-Kai Lin* Yu-Kai Lin Wan-Yu Lin Chih-Ning Chang
As people age, it becomes more common for them to leave their workplace and reduce connection with the public compared to the younger population. Previous studies suggest the benefits of staying socially active for older adults’ cognitive function and mental well-being; however, there is a lack of evidence regarding its impact on physical health. Therefore, our study aims to explore the association between various social activities and physical frailty among community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan.
A cross-sectional study is conducted by recruiting participants from fifty community care stations in Taipei between August and December of 2022. A total of 2,490 adults aged 65 years and older are included in the study. Physical frailty is defined using the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures criteria (SOF ≥ 2), which includes assessments of weight loss, muscle weakness, and decreased energy. Social activity is evaluated based on whether participants volunteer, attend religious or political activities, and engage in study clubs or outdoor leisure activities. Multiple logistic regression and stratified analyses are performed.
After full adjustment, older adults who do not volunteer have a 38% (95% CI: 1.08-1.76) higher risk of being pre-frail; however, other social activities show no significant findings related to frailty. In the stratified results, older adults who are single, live alone, and engage in less exercise have a higher risk of frailty compared to those who volunteer. Furthermore, participants older than 86 years and without taking part in study clubs in their daily lives are found to have a 5.34-fold (95% CI: 1.61-17.72) higher risk of being pre-frail.
In conclusion, our study provides empirical evidence demonstrating the association between volunteering and a lower risk of frailty. It is suggested that governments and health policymakers should place greater emphasis on promoting the incorporation of social activities into the daily lives of older adults.