ArticleFamily medicine and community health2025
Frailty, multimorbidity and quality of life in an ageing population in Africa: a cross-sectional, population-based study in rural and urban Rwanda.
Article in Family medicine and community health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- The association between frailty and quality of life in elderly population in Southern Iran: Findings from the Bushehr Elderly Health Program.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Health Beyond Disease: An Integrated Assessment of Quality of Life, Perceived Health, and Lifestyle Behaviours in a Peri-Urban Kenyan Population-A Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Observational
- Pooled prevalence of psychological distress and mental health conditions in older adults with inflammatory bowel disease: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2026Article
- The association between disease status and health-related quality of life: evidence from a cross-sectional survey across mainland China.Health and quality of life outcomes · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveAs populations age, multimorbidity and frailty have emerged as major health challenges. While their associations with disability and mortality are well documented, their impact on quality of life (QoL) in sub-Saharan Africa remains underexplored. We examined the associations between frailty, multimorbidity and QoL among older adults in Rwanda.
designA cross-sectional population-based study. Multimorbidity was defined as having two or more chronic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and mental health conditions. Frailty scores were derived using the Fried phenotype, and QoL was measured using the European Health Instrument Survey-Quality of Life index (scaled 0%-100%). Sequential linear regression models were used to examine independent associations.
settingRural and urban settings of Rwanda. PARTICIPANT: We analysed data from 4369 adults (≥40 years).
resultsThe mean QoL score was 48.2% (±15.6). Frailty and multimorbidity prevalence were 14.5% (95% CI 13.5 to 15.6) and 55.2% (95% CI 53.7 to 56.6), respectively, while 55.0% (95% CI 53.3 to 56.3) were classified as prefrail. Frailty and multimorbidity are independently associated with poorer QoL. Compared with robust individuals, prefrail and frail individuals experienced a 3.66 (95% CI -4.63 to -2.70) and 7.30 (95% CI -8.76 to -5.83) percentage point reduction in QoL, respectively. Multimorbidity was associated with a 4.66% (95% CI -5.54 to -3.79) point decrease in QoL. Impairments in activities of daily living partly mediated these associations.
conclusionsFrailty and multimorbidity showed a strong negative association with QoL, with frailty having a stronger effect. These findings underscore the need for age-responsive healthcare strategies, including frailty screening and integrated chronic care, to enhance QoL among older adults in Rwanda.
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