Frailty data

Full title: Using individual and neighbourhood profiles and trends to understand frailty with nationally representative population data

Frailty is a priority for the NHS long-term plan but our knowledge of the characteristics and needs of the frail older population is incomplete.

This project uses existing data to correct this by examining the distribution of frailty, identifying areas of unmet need, and exploring the relationship between frailty and poor health outcomes.

An understanding of the drivers of frailty will help inform equitable health policymaking, guide preventative policies and promote healthy ageing.

Aims

• Quantify the distribution of frailty in England, adding to our knowledge of frailty nationally, identifying areas of high need and producing heat maps for policymakers.
• Assess the relationship between frailty and receipt of paid-for and not paid-for care.
• Map areas where levels of frailty are high, but receipt of care is low.
• Link together area level (rurality and deprivation) and individual factors with levels of frailty.
• Conceptualise resilience in later life by identifying attenuation of frailty states over time, and how they relate to individual and area level assets.

Policy relevance

The project’s mapping will show how mental/physical health and levels of local healthcare affect the negative health outcomes of frailty.

Area-level density maps of frailty, combined with estimated frailty trajectories, will contribute to improving our local government and health commissioners’ efforts to implement the NHS long-term plan.

This mapping will identify adults showing stability, or changes in their frailty index and health outcomes, and include frailty-related individual and community-level health services.

Delivery timeline

July 2019 to August 2023 

Associated publications and resources 

• Using individual and neighbourhood profiles and trends to understand frailty with nationally representative population data, Part 1: Frailty among older adults and its distribution in England (February 2020) – Executive Summary, Full Report (PDF)
• Using individual and neighbourhood profiles and trends to understand frailty with nationally representative population data, Part 2: Frailty and receipt for care in England (June 2020) – Executive Summary, Briefing Report, Full Report (PDF)
• Maharani et al (2023) – Household wealth, neighbourhood deprivation and frailty amongst middle-aged and older adults in England: a longitudinal analysis over 15 years (2002–2017) (Age and Ageing) DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afad034 
• Sinclair et al (2021) – Frailty among Older Adults and Its Distribution in England (The Journal of Frailty & Aging) DOI: 10.14283/jfa.2021.55
• Work related to frailty data project: Sinclair et al (2021) – Can vaccination roll-out be more equitable if population risk is taken into account? (PLOS ONE) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259990