Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity, Fatigue, and Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity, Fatigue, and Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study ■

Gerontopole Brussels Study group, Veerle Knoop, Veerle Knoop, Gerontopole Brussels Study group, Axelle Costenoble, Axelle Costenoble, Aziz Debain, Aziz Debain, Kristof Van der Meulen, Kristof Van der Meulen, Patricia De Vriendt, Patricia De Vriendt, Ellen Gorus, Ellen Gorus, Bert Bravenboer, Bert Bravenboer, Bart Jansen, Bart Jansen, Aldo Scafoglieri, Aldo Scafoglieri, Ivan Bautmans, Ivan Bautmans, Gerontopole Brussels Study group, Gerontopole Brussels Study group

Abstract ■

This study aimed to describe the level of physical activity and its relation to fatigue and frailty during the COVID-19 pandemic in community-dwelling older adults aged 80 years and over. Three hundred and ninety-one older adults (aged 86.5 ± 3.00) completed a survey including physical activity, the Mobility Tiredness scale, and the FRAIL scale. Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess whether the variables age, sex, and physical activity (independent factors) were significantly related to fatigue and frailty. Respectively, 30.5\% and 24.7\% of the participants reported a decrease in walking and in energy-intensive activities; 25.4\% reported increased sedentary behavior. A lower level of physical activity was associated with higher levels of fatigue and increased frailty risk (p < .05), independently from psychological symptoms. These results are important because participants with lower levels of physical activity and more sedentary behavior are more likely to feel fatigued and have higher risk to be frail.