Longitudinal associations between satisfaction with meaningful activities and domains of frailty in community-dwelling older adults: A 2-year prospective cohort study

Introduction: Frailty in older adults is a multidimensional condition that affects healthy life expectancy. Engagement in meaningful activities (MA) is thought to support healthy aging, but the specific relationship between satisfaction with MA and frailty remains underexplored. This study investigated the longitudinal association between satisfaction with MA and frailty (physical, social, and cognitive domains) in community-dwelling older adults. Method: A total of 231 community-dwelling older adults who completed a 2-year follow-up were analyzed. Frailty in each domain was assessed at baseline and at 1- and 2-years. Participants’ MA and satisfaction were obtained through face-to-face interviews. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to examine the longitudinal associations between satisfaction with MA and frailty status trajectories. Results: At follow-up, changes in physical frailty status were observed in most participants. Robust status was commonly maintained in the social and cognitive frailty domain. Participants’ MA primarily involved leisure, sports, and domestic activities. Mixed-effects logistic regression analysis showed that satisfaction with MA was significantly associated with physical frailty, even after adjusting for potential covariates (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval 0.45, 0.99, p = 0.045). However, this association was not significant for social or cognitive frailty. Conclusion: Satisfaction with MA was longitudinally associated with physical frailty, but not with social or cognitive frailty.