Risk factors of fatigue among community-dwelling older adults in Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

Background Fatigue is defined as subjective fatigue and a decline in physical and mental activity that does not improve with rest. Fatigue among older adults could lead to future comorbidity, mortality, decreased social interaction, greater strain on families, decreased productivity, and a higher need for hospitalization and rehabilitation. However, no studies have been conducted in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and factors of fatigue among older adults.Methods A community-based cross-sectional study of 605 older adults was carried out using a single-stage cluster sampling technique. The Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS) was used to assess fatigue, and data were collected through an interview. The collected data were coded, cleaned, and entered into EpiData version 4.6 and exported to SPSS Version 25 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Variables in the final multivariate logistic regression model with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p-value of 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results The prevalence of fatigue among older adults was 37.9% (95% CI, 34-41.90). Significant risk factors included older age [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 6.13, CI = 3.25-11.58], the presence of two or more comorbidities (AOR = 5.68, CI = 2.97-10.83), physical inactivity (AOR = 3.33, CI = 1.56-7.12), poor social support (AOR = 2.83, CI = 1.61-4.96), insomnia (AOR = 5.48, CI = 3.38-8.88), and depression (AOR = 2.65, CI = 1.60-4.36).Conclusion The prevalence of fatigue among older adults was noticeable, and it was summarized as a public health issue among older adults in the study area. Our study findings revealed that older age, the presence of comorbidities, physical inactivity, poor social support, insomnia, and depression were all risk factors for fatigue among community-dwelling older adults.