Associations between frailty dimensions and quality of life in older adults with Type 2 diabetes Mellitus: A cross-sectional study
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Introduction
Frailty is increasingly recognized as a clinically relevant condition in older adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), with important implications for functional outcomes and individualized care. This study examined the association between multidimensional frailty and quality of life in older adults with T2DM.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 112 older adults aged ≥ 65 years in the Trikala Regional Unit, Central Greece. Frailty was assessed using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), and quality of life was measured using the Older People’s Quality of Life Questionnaire (OPQOL-35). Overall quality of life was operationalized as the OPQOL-35 mean score. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the association between quality of life and frailty components, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine independent associations with quality of life.
Results
The sample demonstrated a moderate level of frailty ( M = 7.88, SD = 2.78), exceeding the established cut-off for frailty. Physical fatigue and upper limb weakness were the most frequently reported physical limitations. All frailty components (physical, psychological, and social) were significantly associated with poorer OPQOL-35 mean scores ( p < .01). The strongest correlation was observed for physical health-related problems ( r = .690, p < .001), followed by social ( r = .582, p < .001) and psychological components ( r = .486, p < .001). The regression model explained 77.2% of the variance in quality of life ( R ² = 0.772), with physical frailty emerging as the strongest associated factor (β = 0.459, p < .001), followed by social (β = 0.303, p < .001) and psychological components (β = 0.202, p = .005).
Conclusions
Frailty shows a strong multidimensional association with quality of life in older adults with T2DM. These findings highlight the importance of early frailty screening and support the implementation of individualized, multidisciplinary management strategies in primary care to preserve functional ability and overall well-being in this vulnerable population.
