ABSTRACT
Background
Cognitive frailty (CF) is the coexistence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment. Transition to institutional care (TIC) refers to the move from home to a long-term care institution and represents a major change in living arrangement and care needs among older adults. Both CF and TIC are pressing challenges in ageing populations; however, evidence on their association remains limited.
Objectives
This study aimed to explore the longitudinal relationship between CF and TIC among community-dwelling older adults, using the Chinese population as an example.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study utilised data from four waves (2008–2018) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Community-dwelling participants aged between 65 and 100 years at baseline were included. CF was defined based on the modified Fried criteria and the Chinese version Mini-Mental State Examination. The Fine-Grey subdistribution regression models were used, treating mortality and lost to follow-up as competing risks and controlling for gender, age, living area, marital status, living arrangement, multimorbidity, household income, and preference for institutional care.
Results
The baseline prevalence of CF was 2.3% (95% CI: 2.0%–2.6%). During follow-up, 1.2% (95% CI: 1.0%–1.4%) transitioned to institutional care, 47.1% (95% CI: 46.1%–48.2%) died before TIC and 32.1% (95% CI: 31.1%–33.0%) were lost to follow-up. Incidence rate of TIC was 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9–2.8) per 1000 person-years. Individuals with CF had a higher risk of TIC (SHR 3.51, 95% CI: 1.49 to 8.28; p = 0.004) compared to those without physical frailty and cognitive impairment.
Conclusion
Our findings demonstrated the positive association between CF and TIC, highlighting the need for appropriate and timely management of CF and personalised interventions for this vulnerable group to delay premature institutionalisation.