Association of Life-Course Neighborhood Deprivation With Frailty and Frailty Progression From Ages 70 to 82 Years in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. Issue 11 (27th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baranyi, Gergő; Welstead, Miles; Corley, Janie; Deary, Ian J; Muniz-Terrera, Graciela; Redmond, Paul; Shortt, Niamh; Taylor, Adele M; Ward Thompson, Catharine; Cox, Simon R; Pearce, Jamie
• Is Part Of: American journal of epidemiology. Volume 191:Issue 11(2022)
• Page Start: 1856
• Page End: 1866
• Publication Date: 2022-07-27
• Subjects: aging -- frailty -- life-course approach -- neighborhood deprivation -- structured life-course modeling; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 614.4
• DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwac134
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-9262

Abstract

Abstract: Neighborhood features have been postulated to be key predictors of frailty. However, evidence is mainly limited to cross-sectional studies without indication of long-term impact. We explored how neighborhood social deprivation (NSD) across the life course is associated with frailty and frailty progression among older Scottish adults. Participants ( n = 323) were persons selected from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 with historical measures of NSD in childhood (1936–1955), young adulthood (1956–1975), and mid- to late adulthood (1976–2014). Frailty was measured 5 times between the ages of 70 and 82 years using the Frailty Index. Confounder-adjusted life-course models were assessed using a structured modeling approach; associations were estimated for frailty at baseline using linear regression and for frailty progression using linear mixed-effects models. Accumulation was the most appropriate life-course model for males; greater accumulated NSD was associated with higher frailty at baseline ( b = 0.017, 95% confidence interval: 0.005, 0.029). Among females, the mid- to late adulthood sensitive period was the best-fitting life-course model, and higher NSD in this period was associated with widening frailty trajectories ( b = 0.005, 95% confidence interval: 0.0004, 0.009). To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the life-course impact of NSD on frailty in a cohort of older adults. Policies designed to address deprivation and inequalities across the full life course may support healthy aging.