Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37366329›Full record

ArticleAge and ageing2023

'Frailty as an adjective rather than a diagnosis'-identification of frailty in primary care: a qualitative interview study.

Anna Seeley, Margaret Glogowska, Gail Hayward

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Age and ageing, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
24citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

24 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Group Poetry and Quilt-Making -Creative Public Involvement Approaches to Contentious Concepts in Frailty Research.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026
    Article
  3. Continuity of Care as Diagnostic Infrastructure.Journal of evaluation in clinical practice · 2026
    Article
  4. Why should we assess the degree of frailty in primary care?The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Perianesthesia Nurses' Perspectives Managing Frailty: A Qualitative Study.Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · 2026
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Observational
  10. Article
  11. Using the new electronic frailty index (eFI2) to aid frailty identification and management in primary care.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Article
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Identifying and Managing Frailty: A Survey of UK Healthcare Professionals.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Anna SeeleyNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5354-5889
Margaret GlogowskaNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Gail HaywardNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Funding

Department of Health ACF-2019-13-009
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIn 2017, NHS England introduced proactive identification of frailty into the General Practitioners (GP) contract. There is currently little information as to how this policy has been operationalised by front-line clinicians, their working understanding of frailty and impact of recognition on patient care. We aimed to explore the conceptualisation and identification of frailty by multidisciplinary primary care clinicians in England.

methodsQualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with primary care staff across England including GPs, physician associates, nurse practitioners, paramedics and pharmacists. Thematic analysis was facilitated through NVivo (Version 12).

resultsTotally, 31 clinicians participated. Frailty was seen as difficult to define, with uncertainty about its value as a medical diagnosis. Clinicians conceptualised frailty differently, dependant on job-role, experience and training. Identification of frailty was most commonly informal and opportunistic, through pattern recognition of a frailty phenotype. Some practices had embedded population screening and structured reviews. Visual assessment and continuity of care were important factors in recognition. Most clinicians were familiar with the electronic frailty index, but described poor accuracy and uncertainty as to how to interpret and use this tool. There were different perspectives amongst professional groups as to whether frailty should be more routinely identified, with concerns of capacity and feasibility in the current climate of primary care workload.

conclusionsConcepts of frailty in primary care differ. Identification is predominantly ad hoc and opportunistic. A more cohesive approach to frailty, relevant to primary care, together with better diagnostic tools and resource allocation, may encourage wider recognition.

Indexed as

FrailtyGeneral PractitionersAttitude of Health PersonnelEnglandHumansPrimary Health CareQualitative Researchfrailtygeneral practiceolder peopleprimary carequalitative research

Identifiers

PMID37366329
PMCPMC10294554

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.