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. 2024 Dec 18;12:1424613. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1424613

Table 2.

Overview and comparison of assessment scales for age-related frailty.

Scale Year Country Dimension Item Time (min) Contents Assessment criteria Characteristics Measuremethod Application site
FI (78) 2001 Canada 4 30–70 20–30 Physical functions, psychological aspects, cognitive ability, and social functions Non-frailty: FI: < 0.12.
Pre-frailty: FI: 0.12–0.25.
Frailty: FI ≥ 0.25.

  1. A broad scope focusing on overall health assessment.

  2. Strong predictive validity.

  3. Tedious and time-consuming.

 Doctor’s clinical observation Hospital, community
CGA (86) 1989 America 6 30+ <15 General medical assessment, physical function, psychological status, social behavior ability, environmental health, and other assessment such as: diet health A continuous score.
Frailty: scores >0.25.
The higher the score, the more severe the frailty.

  1. Focusing on the older inpatients.

  2. Widely recognized and applied.

  3. Complex content without an uniform standard.

 Doctor’s clinical observation Hospital
GFI (92) 2001 Netherland 4 15 <15 Physical functions, psychological aspects, cognitive ability, and social functions Frailty: scores ≥4.
The higher the score, the more severe the frailty.

  1. Simple.

  2. Uncertain predictive ability for adverse health outcomes.

 Self -assessment Community
CFAI (98) 2013 Belgium 4 23 <15 Physical functions, psychological aspects (mood and emotion), social functions (social relations and social support), environment Mild frailty: scores: 20–40.
Moderate frailty: scores: 41–50.
Severe frailty: scores: 51–97.

  1. Simple to operate.

  2. Uncertain assessment of social functions.

 Self -assessment Community
RGA (99) 2015 America 4 18 <5 Degree of frailty, nutritional status, degree of anorexia and cognitive impairment It includes 4 scales: the FS, the SARC-F, the SNAQ, and the RCS. Each scale is scored separately.

  1. Time-saving.

  2. High degree of reliability.

Several entries are difficult to understand and memorize.		 Doctor’s clinical observation Hospital
TFI (100) 2010 Netherland 3 15 <15 Physical functions, psychological aspects, and social functions Frailty: scores ≥5.
The higher the score, the more severe the frailty.

  1. Simple.

  2. Comprehensive.

  3. Subjective.

 Self -assessment Hospital,
sanatorium, community
FRAIL-NH (101) 2015 America 4 7 <10 Physical functions, nutritional condition, co-morbidities, and self-care ability The higher the score, the more severe the frailty.

  1. Simple.

  2. Time-saving.

  3. Good predictive validity for adverse health outcomes.

 Doctor’s clinical observation Hospital,
sanatorium

CFAI: Comprehensive Frailty Assessment Instrument; CGA: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment; FI: Frailty Index; FRAIL-NH: Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Incontinence/Illness, Loss of weight, Nutritional approach, and help with dressing; FS: FRAIL Scale; GFI: Groningen Frailty Indicator; RCS: Rapid Cognitive Screen; RGA: Rapid Geriatric Assessment; SARC-F: the Simple Five item Scoring Scale for Sarcopenia; SNAQ: Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire; TFI: Tilbury Frailty Indicator.