journal articles
COMPREHENSIVE GERIATRIC AS-SESSMENT AND PRIMARY CARE BA-SED INTERVENTIONS FOR MANAGING FRAILTY IN OLDER ADULTS: AN EVI-DENCE MAP
Smiteerekha Sahoo, Tanveer Rehman, Md Shaney Ali, Haimanti Bhattacharya, AK Kavitha , Rasmiranjan Nayak, Ashok Kumar Mahakuda, Sanghamitra Pati, Jaya Singh Kshatri
BACKGROUND: Frailty is a geriatric syndrome leading to adverse health outcomes, but can be managed through targeted interventions and potentially reversed. Primary care settings play a pivotal role in identifying and addressing frailty. This review aims to assess the effective primary care interventions and strategies to manage frailty.
METHODS: This review mapped evidence to evaluate systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials in older adults (≥60 years) on primary care-based interventions for managing frailty. Data were extracted from databases including MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane CENTRAL, covering publications up to September 11, 2024. Interventions in primary care, community-based, or home-based settings were included, excluding hospitalized or bedridden individuals. The AMSTAR 2 tool assessed review quality, and interventions were categorized by type, setting, and effectiveness.
RESULTS: From the 3152 studies extracted, 17 systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. Interventions were classified into physical, nutritional, pharmacological, e-health/telemedicine, and multicomponent approaches. Multicomponent interventions, combining physical, nutritional, and cognitive strategies, demonstrated effectiveness, with significant benefits reported in 15 reviews. Community and home-based settings dominated, emphasizing accessibility. However, the quality of evidence varied, with seven reviews rated as critically low and six as high. Most studies were conducted in high-income countries, limiting their generalizability to LMICs.
CONCLUSION: Multicomponent interventions delivered in community settings show significant promise for managing frailty in older adults. However, evidence gaps suggest the need for context-specific research to adapt these interventions into primary care, which can improve the health status and quality of life for ageing populations globally.
CITATION:
Smiteerekha Sahoo ; Tanveer Rehman ; Md Shaney Ali ; Haimanti Bhattacharya ; AK Kavitha ; Rasmiranjan Nayak ; Ashok Kumar Mahakuda ; Sanghamitra Pati ; Jaya Singh Kshatri (2025): Comprehensive geriatric assessment and primary care based interventions for managing frailty in older adults: An evidence map. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjfa.2025.100104