Table 4.
Frailty factors achieving consensus (n = 33)
| Frailty Factor | Clinical Definition | Rating Round: Mean (SD) | Consensus (Rating ≥ 8) Round, n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity Limitation | Difficulties in performing tasks and engaging in social roles [43] | Round 1: 7.91 (2.04) | Round 1, 19 (83) |
| Anaemia and Haematinic Deficiency | Anaemia is a condition that develops when your blood produces a lower than normal amount of healthy red blood cells. Haematinics are nutrients required for the formation of blood cells (i.e. iron, B12, folate) [44] | Round 1: 7.00 (1.78) | Round 3, 22 (96) |
| Round 2: 7.48 (1.41) | |||
| Round 3: 8.13 (0.55) | |||
| Arthritis | Inflammation or swelling of one or more joints. It describes conditions that affect the joints, tissues around the joints, and other connective tissues [43] | Round 1: 7.14 (2.10) | Round 2, 21 (91) |
| Round 2: 8.04 (1.07) | |||
| Atrial Fibrillation | The most common type of treated heart arrythmia. An arrythmia is when the heart beats too slowly, too fast, or in an irregular way [43] | Round 1: 6.13 (1.98) | Round 3, 20 (87) |
| Round 2: 7.52 (1.44) | |||
| Round 3: 8.04 (0.71) | |||
| Cerebrovascular Disease | Stroke/TIA (mini-stroke); an acute compromise to the blood flow through the brain [44] | Round 1: 8.52 (1.78) | Round 1, 20 (87) |
| Chronic Kidney Disease | A condition characterized by gradual loss of kidney function over time; the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood as well they should, resulting in the buildup of excess fluid and waste products [43, 48] | Round 1: 7.74 (1.54) | Round 2, 21 (91) |
| Round 2: 8.52 (1.08) | |||
| Coronary Heart Disease | Type of heart disease that occurs when the arteries of the heart (coronary arteries) cannot deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart, often caused by a plaque buildup in the walls of the coronary arteries [43, 44] | Round 1: 8.00 (1.31) | Round 2, 23 (100) |
| Round 2: 8.65 (0.78) | |||
| Diabetes | A disease that occurs when one’s blood glucose/sugar is high because their body either can’t produce insulin or can’t properly use the insulin it produces [45] | Round 1: 7.30 (1.66) | Round 2, 20 (87) |
| Round 2: 8.26 (1.10) | |||
| Dizziness | A term used to describe a range of sensations such as feeling faint, weak, lightheaded, or unsteady [47] | Round 1: 7.65 (1.97) | Round 2, 21 (91) |
| Round 2: 8.26 (1.54) | |||
| Dyspnoea | Sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing/shortness of breath [44] | Round 1: 8.13 (2.07) | Round 1, 20 (87) |
| Falls | An event which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level [46] | Round 1: 9.09 (1.53) | Round 1, 20 (87) |
| Foot Problems | Issues related to feet | Round 1: 7.39 (1.85) | Round 2, 21 (91) |
| Round 2: 8.13 (1.42) | |||
| Fragility Fracture | Any fracture that occurs from trauma [44] | Round 1: 8.52 (1.44) | Round 1, 19 (83) |
| Hearing Impairment | Inability to hear as well as someone with normal hearing [46] | Round 1: 6.87 (2.58) | Round 3, 22 (96) |
| Round 2: 7.91 (1.0) | |||
| Round 3: 8.43 (0.84) | |||
| Heart Failure | Heart fails to pump sufficient levels of blood and oxygen to support other organs in the body [43] | Round 1: 8.39 (1.08) | Round 1, 20 (87) |
| Heart Valve Disease | When any valve in the heart has damage or is diseased and/or the heart valves do not open or close properly [43, 53] | Round 1: 7.83 (1.37) | Round 2, 20 (87) |
| Round 2: 8.22 (1.28) | |||
| Housebound | Unable to leave one’s home, often due to illness or functional/mobility limitation | Round 1: 8.48 (1.97) | Round 1, 19 (83) |
| Hypotension/Syncope | Low blood pressure; develops when blood flows through the arteries at higher-than-normal pressures (syncope = fainting as a result) [44] | Round 1: 7.91 (2.15) | Round 2, 21 (91) |
| Round 2: 8.39 (1.47) | |||
| Memory and/or Cognitive Problems | Issues with conscious intellectual activity such as thinking, reasoning, or remembering [47] | Round 1: 8.78 (1.44) | Round 1, 19 (83) |
| Mobility and Transfer Problems | Difficulties getting around physically or moving from one place to another [47] | Round 1: 8.96 (1.02) | Round 1, 22 (96) |
| Osteoporosis | Condition that weakens bones, making them more fragile and more likely to break [49] | Round 1: 8.13 (1.22) | Round 2, 20 (87) |
| Round 2: 8.35 (1.27) | |||
| Parkinsonism and Tremor | Brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination [44] | Round 1: 8.65 (1.03) | Round 1, 20 (87) |
| Peripheral Vascular Disease | Blood circulation disorder that affects blood vessels outside the heart and brain [43, 51] | Round 1: 7.35 (1.67) | Round 2, 20 (87) |
| Round 2: 8.26 (0.81) | |||
| Polypharmacy | The use of multiple medications simultaneously [44] | Round 1: 7.96 (2.08) | Round 2, 21 (91) |
| Round 2: 8.48 (1.12) | |||
| Requirement for Care | Requiring help from others for personal care | Round 1: 8.91 (1.08) | Round 1, 21 (91) |
| Respiratory Disease | Disease that affects the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system, affecting breathing [50] | Round 1: 8.09 (1.16) | Round 2, 22 (96) |
| Round 2: 8.91 (0.85) | |||
| Skin Ulcer | An open sore caused by poor blood flow [51] | Round 1: 7.26 (1.96) | Round 2, 20 (87) |
| Round 2: 7.91 (0.95) | |||
| Sleep Disturbance | Disorders of initiating and/or maintaining sleep, disorders of excessive sleeping, disorders of sleep–wake schedule, and dysfunctions associated with sleep, sleep stages, or partial arousals [44] | Round 1: 6.83 (1.90) | Round 2, 20 (87) |
| Round 2: 7.83 (1.40) | |||
| Social Vulnerability | Potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health [43] | Round 1: 8.13 (1.60) | Round 2, 23 (100) |
| Round 2: 9.04 (0.82) | |||
| Urinary Incontinence | Loss of bladder control, unintentional passing of urine [44, 47] | Round 1: 7.57 (2.27) | Round 1, 19 (83) |
| Urinary System Disease | Diseases or disorders that affect the urinary system [44] | Round 1: 6.71 (1.95)a | Round 3, 20 (87) |
| Round 2: 7.78 (1.00) | |||
| Round 3: 8.22 (0.80) | |||
| Visual Impairment | Inability to see as well as someone with normal vision [46] | Round 1: 7.74 (2.12) | Round 2, 22 (96%) |
| Round 2: 8.87 (0.87) | |||
| Weight Loss and/or Anorexia | Losing weight faster than normal (anorexia – eating disorder caused by weight loss [52] | Round 1: 7.74 (2.20) | Round 2, 22 (96) |
| Round 2: 8.52 (1.68) |
aUrinary System Disease Round 1: One panelist rated this factor as 6 for males and 8 for females. Another panelist rated this factor as 7 for bladder problems, 1 for polyps, and 9 for incontinence. This mean and standard deviation for “urinary system disease” does not include these 2 participants’ ratings