The status of frailty in poor older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus or hypertension: the case of Mexico

Background There are limited studies on type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and hypertension (HTN) related to frailty, functionality, and depression-anxiety. Such data are important for planning public health policies for older adults who are users of Family Medicine clinics, located in the most popular urban area of Guadalajara, Mexico. Aims To establish the frequency of frailty, functionality, and depression-anxiety in older persons with DM2 and HTN and establish differences statistically between the variables which are being tested. Design Observational, cross-sectional study Materials and methods Four hundred older adults aged over 60, users of 30 office clinics in Family Medicine Clinic no. 3, of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS). From these subjects, we obtained a random-quota sample, with 95% confidence and 80% study power, which had, as units of analysis, two groups (DM2 and HTN), each group comprising 200 persons, divided proportionally by gender and clinical office. We applied Fried's clinical criteria and the following scales: Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), Katz, Lawton-Brody, and Calderon Narvaez Results In individuals with DM2 prevalence, there was frailty of 17%, 56% reported no physical activity, 20 % had not basic occupations, 3% has deficiency in instrumental activities, and 31% showed signs of depression-anxiety. In persons with HTN, 8% has frailty, 52%had not physical activity, 15%had not developed basic activities, 3% had a deficiency in instrumental activities, and 40% showed signs of depression-anxiety. Conclusions By sexes we observed significant frequencies of frailty and pre-frailty in males with DM" and in women with HTN. In the Katz scale, women with DM2 have high percentages of disability in basic activities of daily living. Associating DM2 and HTN with frailty, dysfunction and depression reveals a lack of prevention.