Did frailty influence older adults’ choices of communication methods during COVID-19?

Frailty affects not only the health outcomes of older adults but also their ability to maintain social connections, especially during public health crises such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study examined whether frailty status influenced older adults’ choice of communication methods during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Using a cross-sectional dataset, we applied multivariate probit models to analyze the relationship between frailty status and the use of video calls, telephone calls, and face-to-face interactions among older adults. The sample comprised 5,115 community-dwelling older adults living in Sakai City (mean age: 74.66 years). In this study, older adults were defined as individuals aged 65 years and older. The participants’ characteristics were assessed on November 1, 2020. Participants were categorized as frail, pre-frail, or robust based on frailty-related characteristics such as musculoskeletal function, nutritional status, oral function, confinement, and cognitive function. Frailty was assessed using a frailty index based on a 25-item checklist developed from the existing literature.

First, older adults with frailty were more likely to report a decrease in their use of telephone calls (0.296, p<.01) compared with their robust counterparts. Second, compared with those aged 80 years and above, younger respondents were more likely to report an increase in video calls (65–69 years: 0.393, p<.01) but less likely to report an increase in face-to-face interactions (65–69 years: -0.498, p<.01; 70–74 years: -0.302, p<.05). Third, a decrease in the report of using telephone calls was positively correlated with a reduction in the report of face-to-face interactions (p<.01).

These findings highlight the complex relationship between frailty and communication patterns. They underscore the need for inclusive interventions that address physical, age, and technological barriers to social connectivity.