Table 3.
Global Cognitive Level at Baseline (Cohen’s d, SD) and Cognitive Change (Cohen’s d, SD/year) by Frailty Status (PFP) and Its Criteria Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011–2016, n = 7439) in Separate Models
| Global Cognitive Level at Baseline | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonfrail β 1 |
Frail β 1 + β 2 |
Excess Effect β 2 |
|
| Criterion | Cohen’s d (SE) | Cohen’s d (SE) | Cohen’s d (SE) |
| Weight loss | −0.052 (0.024)** | −0.231 (0.029)** | −0.179 (0.036)** |
| Exhaustion | 0.018 (0.018) | −0.202 (0.024)** | −0.220 (0.026)** |
| Low physical activity | −0.029 (0.017)* | −0.217 (0.024)** | −0.188 (0.026)** |
| Slow gait | −0.275 (0.026)** | −0.340 (0.026)** | −0.065 (0.034)* |
| Weakness | −0.042 (0.021)** | −0.276 (0.026)** | −0.234 (0.031)** |
| Global Cognitive Change | |||
| Nonfrail β 4 |
Frail β 4 + β 5 |
Excess Effect β 5 |
|
| Cohen’s d/year (SE) | Cohen’s d/year (SE) | Cohen’s d/year (SE) | |
| Weight loss | −0.019 (0.006)** | −0.015 (0.009)* | 0.004 (0.011) |
| Exhaustion | 0.0003 (0.005) | −0.012 (0.007)* | −0.012 (0.008) |
| Low physical activity | −0.002 (0.005) | −0.021 (0.007)** | −0.019 (0.008)** |
| Slow gait | −0.024 (0.007)** | −0.030 (0.008)** | −0.006 (0.010) |
| Weakness | −0.018 (0.006)** | −0.013 (0.008) | 0.005 (0.010) |
Notes: PFP = physical frailty phenotype. Frailty was operationalized using the PFP. Results from a series of multiple linear regression models with random slopes (time) and intercepts (person) testing the associations between the individual frailty criteria and cognitive level and change among frail versus nonfrail participants. All models were controlled for age, sex, race, education, income, and number of comorbidities. Excess effect refers to the association between frailty and cognitive performance/decline above and beyond each of the respective criteria (ie, for those who are positive for frailty and positive for the criterion of interest).
*Significance at a cutoff level of p = .10. **Significance at a cutoff level of p = .05.