Frailty and disability as key determinants of cardiological care and illness acceptance in older adults

Background Frailty syndrome (FS) and its associated disabilities are common in aging populations, significantly affecting physical resilience, psychological well-being, and social functioning. These factors play a crucial role in preventive cardiology, where acceptance of chronic conditions and adherence to therapeutic strategies are essential. Understanding the relationship between frailty, disability, and illness acceptance can help guide targeted interventions for older patients. Objective This study aimed to assess the relationship between frailty, disability, and illness acceptance in elderly patients hospitalized in an internal medicine ward, with particular emphasis on their relevance to preventive cardiovascular care. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 patients aged ≥65 hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine between February and March 2021. Inclusion criteria included a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of ≥24 and informed consent. Frailty was assessed using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), functional independence with the Katz ADL and Lawton IADL scales, disability with the Nagi Scale, and illness acceptance with the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation coefficients were used for analysis. Results The participants (mean age: 72.84 ± 6.63 years; 60% female) exhibited a high prevalence of frailty (87%, mean TFI score: 7.69 ± 2.68). Disability was reported in 56% of patients, and the mean illness acceptance score was 28.76 ± 7.81, indicating moderate acceptance. Frailty scores showed a positive correlation with age (r = 0.368, p < 0.001) and its physical components (r = 0.411, p < 0.001). All TFI components—physical (r = -0.352, p < 0.001), psychological (r = -0.241, p = 0.016), social (r = -0.312, p = 0.002), and the overall TFI score (r = -0.383, p < 0.01)—had a statistically significant negative association with illness acceptance. Psychological frailty exhibited the weakest, yet still significant, correlation with illness acceptance (r = -0.241, p = 0.016). Conclusions Frailty and disability are significant determinants of illness acceptance and preventive cardiovascular care in elderly patients. Targeted interventions to mitigate frailty, particularly by addressing its biopsychosocial components, could enhance illness acceptance, improve adherence to therapy, and contribute to better overall health outcomes. These findings underscore the necessity of comprehensive, multidimensional assessments in designing cardiovascular prevention strategies tailored to the needs of aging populations.