Short functional geriatric evaluation: Confirmatory factor analysis to assess the multidimensionality of frailty in community-dwelling older adults.

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the ageing population in Italy, where older adults account for more than 14 million individuals (in January 2023) and constitute 24.1 % of the total population. Frailty, a condition encompassing biological, psychological, social, and economic challenges, is recognised as a significant public health issue. The study introduces the Short Functional Geriatric Evaluation (SFGE) as a large-scale screening tool for frailty in community-dwelling older individuals. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted on the SFGE. The CFA scrutinises the construct validity of SFGE using a sample population from the "Long Live the Elderly!" program in Italy. Initial results indicate an acceptable fit, prompting the incorporation of Modification Indices to enhance model performance. The refined CFA demonstrates that the SFGE model effectively captures the multidimensional nature of frailty. The text underscores the timeliness of identifying frailty, emphasising the need for simple, fast, and predictive tools to screen large populations efficiently.