Higher Frailty Levels Are Associated With Increased Improvement in Health-Related Quality of Life Following a 12-Week Medical Student-Led Walking Program

Higher frailty, or the accumulation of health deficits, is associated with worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Sustaining HRQoL is vital for overall well-being. Walk with a Future Doc (WWAFD) is a student-led community-based exercise and education program that is feasible and well-received by older adults. However, it is unknown how WWAFD influences HRQoL. This study tested the hypothesis that a 12-week WWAFD education and low-impact walking program would improve HRQoL, particularly among those with higher baseline frailty levels. Community-dwelling adults participated in a 12-week, medical student-led program including a 10-min educational talk and 50 min of self-paced walking once per week. All participants completed a 65-item validated Frailty Index and the EuroQol five-dimensions questionnaire at baseline and 12-weeks. Sixty-six participants were included (age: 65 ± 7 years [range: 47–85 years]; 47 females). Although there was no change in HRQoL from baseline (0.877 ± 0.137 [range: 0.038–0.949] to follow-up 0.878 ± 0.077 [range: 0.450–0.949]; p = .107), frailty at baseline (0.090 ± 0.073 [range: 0.000–0.394]) was associated with both baseline HRQoL (β = −1.353, 95% CI [−1.704, −1.003], p < .001) and larger improvements in HRQoL (0.001 ± 0.081 [range: −0.120, 0.415]; β = .663, 95% CI [0.387, 0.880], p < .001). Those with a higher frailty level at baseline exhibited the greatest improvements in HRQoL following the WWAFD community exercise program.