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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Jul 22.
Published in final edited form as: J Clin Epidemiol. 2009 Oct 31;63(6):647–654. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2009.08.007

Table 1.

Measures of the frailty domains

Frailty Domain MUNS CSHA SIPA
Nutrition Self-reported:

  1. weight loss in the past year, or

  2. medium or poor appetite

 Self-reported*:

  1. loss of appetite, or

  2. unintentional weight loss, or

  3. unexplained weight change > 3 kg over 6 months

 NA
Physical activity Self-reported never or from time to time:

  1. participating in a leisure time physical activity group, and

  2. doing a hobby (sewing, gardening, reading, do-it-yourself projects) in the past month

 Self-reported low or no exercise Self-reported ≤ 4 times/month going to a:

  1. shopping centre or other places to walk around, and

  2. recreation or cultural centre
Mobility Self-reported:

  1. difficulty or needing help moving around the house, or

  2. therapy to improve balance and mobility

 Questionably or definitively abnormal gait speed* Self-reported difficulty walking up or down a flight of stairs
Energy Self-reported difficulty, needing help or inability to walk a block Participant feeling tired all the time* Self-reported either:

  1. difficulty walking one mile, or

  2. needing help or unable to walk a block during summer
Strength NA Questionably or definitively abnormal*:

  1. strength, or

  2. bulk

 Self-reported difficulty lifting something that weighs over 5 kg
Cognition ≤17 on the ALFI [25] Diagnosis of cognitive impairment or dementia according to DSM-III-R criteria* [26]

  1. Self-reported memory problems or Alzheimer’s disease, or

  2. ≥ 3 errors on the SPMSQ [27]
Mood > median (11.9) on the IDPESQ-14 [28]

  1. Questionable or definitive depression*, or

  2. Participant feeling sad, blue or depressed*

  1. Self-reported emotional problems, nervousness, depression, anxiety, or insomnia, or

  2. ≥ 5 on the GDS [29]
*

Determined during physician assessment as part of a medical history

MUNS: Montreal Unmet Needs Study; CSHA: Canadian Study of Health and Aging; SIPA: Integrated Services for Older Persons; NA: Not available; ALFI: Adult Lifestyles and Function Interview; IDPESQ-14: Indice de détresse psychologique de Santé Québec; DSM-III-R: Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; SPMSQ: Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire; GDS: Geriatric Depression Scale