Trial reportBMC geriatrics2024
Older people's perception of being frail - a qualitative exploration.
Trial report in BMC geriatrics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Australian Consensus Statement on the Prevention and Management of Frailty Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Modified Delphi Study.The Medical journal of Australia · 2026Article
- A cross-sectional study of the relationship between community dwelling older adults' self-perceived frailty and their electronic frailty index score.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Exploring the views and experiences of frailty and resilience among people experiencing homelessness in Ireland: A qualitative study.PloS one · 2026Article
- Striving for purposeful autonomy: a qualitative method to enhance autonomy measurement in older adults.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
- A Qualitative Study Describing the Perspectives on Frailty and Its Management in Individuals with Kidney Failure.Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN · 2025Article
- More Than a Measure: Translating Frailty into Meaningful Care.Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN · 2025Article
- The Edmonton frail scale: a feasibility study on assessing frailty among older adults with multimorbidity in Norwegian primary health care.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- Consumers' Perspectives on the Design of a New Digital Frailty Education Course, 'Focus on Frailty': A Qualitative Co-Design Study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFrailty is a suggested consequence of ageing, but with a variety of different definitions the understanding of what it means to be frail is challenging. There is a common belief that frailty results in a reduction of physical functioning and ability and therefore is likely to significantly affect a person's quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the understanding of older people about the meaning of frailty and the potential consequences of being classified as frail.
methodsThis paper forms a secondary analysis of a process evaluation of a complex intervention that was embedded within the individually randomised Home-based Extended Rehabilitation of Older people (HERO) trial. A maximum variation, purposive sampling strategy sought to recruit participants with a wide range of characteristics. Data collection included observations of the delivery of the intervention, documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews with participants. Thematic analysis was used to make sense of the observational and interview data, adopting both inductive and deductive approaches.
resultsNinety three HERO trial participants were sampled for the process evaluation with a total of 60 observational home visits and 35 interviews were undertaken. There was a wide range in perceptions about what it meant to be classified as frail with no clear understanding from our participants. However, there was a negative attitude towards frailty with it being considered something that needed to be avoided where possible. Frailty was seen as part of a negative decline that people struggled to associate with. There was discussion about frailty being temporary and that it could be reduced or avoided with sufficient physical exercise and activity.
conclusionOur study provides insight into how older people perceive and understand the concept of frailty. Frailty is a concept that is difficult for patients to understand, with most associating the term with an extreme degree of physical and cognitive decline. Having a label of being "frail" was deemed to be negative and something to be avoided, suggesting the term needs to be used cautiously.
trial registrationISRCTN 13927531. Registered on April 19, 2017.
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