Reducing the prevalence of frailty and delaying its progression in older adults is a desirable public health goal. A sufficient understanding of potentially modifiable determinants, including social connections, is lacking. We identified unique social network patterns and examined their relationships with frailty using data from Wave 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE); 46,260 participants provided details on five social network variables (e.g., social network size), five physical measures (e.g., fatigue), and covariates (e.g., smoking). Participants were classified as non-frail, prefrail or frail based on gender-specific frailty scores. Latent class analysis (LCA) generated five social network typologies: close family; diverse family; close family and friendships; limited social connectedness; and close family and acquaintances. Associations with frailty were examined using logistic regression models that adjusted for covariates. Fully adjusted models demonstrated that, compared to having close family, additionally having a diverse family (OR=0.88; 95% CI=0.82 to 0.95) or acquaintances (OR=0.62; 95% CI=0.58 to 0.67) was related to less frailty. Additionally having friendship ties was also related to less frailty (OR=0.85; 95% CI=0.78 to 0.94). In contrast, limited social connectedness was related to more frailty albeit non-statistically (OR=1.03; 95% CI=0.97 to 1.10). Our investigation adds new evidence on the association between social networks and frailty in older adults. It highlights the nuanced way in which constellations of social ties and relational dynamics affect frailty; typologies involving diverse social interactions, especially with friends, are associated with less frailty. These findings may inform strategies that help maintain physical resilience and function in older adults through enhanced social connections.

Authors:
Snorri Rafnsson, University of West London, United Kingdom
Asri Maharani, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Gindo Tampubolon, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Snorri Bjorn Rafnsson currently serves as Associate Professor of Ageing and Dementia in the Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory in the School of Medicine and Biosciences at the University of West London.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-snorri-bjorn-rafnsson-phd-pgche-fhea-10703836/

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