Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and Its Clinical Correlates among Hospitalized Older Adults in the Brazilian Amazon: A Descriptive Cohort Study
Isabela Dourado de Carvalho
*
Clinical Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo – Medical Residency Program in Gastroenterology, Brazil.
Laryssa Trindade
João de Barros Barreto University Hospital / Medical Residency Program in Geriatrics, Brazil.
Laiane Moraes Dias
João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Brazil.
Adonias Brito dos Santos Júnior
João de Barros Barreto University Hospital/ Medical Residency Program in Clinical Medicine, Brazil.
Camila Miranda Pereira
*
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Vale Institute of Technology, Sustainable Development, Brazil.
Natália De Almeida Façanha
Sciences, School of Medicine/ University Center of the State of Pará, Brazil.
Rudival Faial De Moraes Júnior
Health Sciences, Santa Casa De Mercy of The State of Pará, Graduate Program (Phd) in Health Education in the Amazon, Brazil.
Gabriela Ladeia da Silva
Clinical Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo – Medical Residency Program in Gastroenterology, Brazil.
Yuri De Sousa Azevedo
Sciences, School of Medicine/ University Center of the State of Pará, Brazil.
Raissa Barbosa De Arêde
Sciences, School of Medicine/ University Center of the State of Pará, Brazil.
Daniel Oliveira Kato
Sciences, School of Medicine/ University Center of the State of Pará, Brazil.
Valdenira de Jesus Oliveira Kato
Sciences, School of Medicine/ University Center of the State of Pará, Brazil.
Ana Paula Sabado Feio
Sciences, School of Medicine/ Metropolitan University Center of the Amazon, Brazil.
Jefferson Lazarini de Aquino
Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Pará, Brazil.
Paulo Lucas Paes Duarte
Sciences, School of Medicine/ University Center of the State of Pará, Brazil.
Matheus Moreira de Melo
Sciences, School of Medicine/ University Center of the State of Pará, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the functional, clinical, and cognitive profiles of hospitalized older adults in a general hospital in the Brazilian Amazon, contributing to understanding the relationship between frailty, cognitive decline, and functionality during hospitalization.
Study Design: Prospective and analytical cohort study.
Place and Duration of Study: Conducted at Hospital Jean Bitar, Belém, Pará, Brazil, from March to June 2023.
Methodology: The study included 45 patients aged 65 years or older, assessed within 48 hours of admission using validated instruments such as the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), 10-Point Cognitive Screener (10-CS), Katz Index for Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL), and Lawton Scale for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Statistical analyses were performed using BioEstat® 5.4, applying G and Chi-Square tests (α = 0.05).
Results: The mean age was 76.3 years, with a slight predominance of females (51.1%, p = 0.8815). The most frequent admission diagnoses were gastrointestinal bleeding (24.4%) and consumptive syndrome (22.2%). A statistically significant association was found between sex and cognitive impairment (p = 0.0030; Cramer’s V = 0.42), with females showing a higher prevalence of probable cognitive impairment (73.9%). The 10-CS revealed a significant difference across cognitive categories (p = 0.0006; V = 0.51). The CFS demonstrated a significant association with mortality risk (p = 0.0282), where higher frailty scores correlated with greater mortality probability.
Conclusion: Functional dependence and cognitive decline were prevalent among hospitalized older adults, particularly among females, with significant associations between frailty, cognition, and mortality. These findings reinforce the need for comprehensive geriatric assessments to guide care strategies and improve quality of life in this population.
Keywords: Older adults, frailty, cognitive impairment, functional dependence