Translation, Adaptation and Validation of Rapid Geriatric Assessment to the Brazilian context.

OBJECTIVES: Translate, cross-culturally adapt and validate the Rapid Geriatric Assessment (RGA) for Brazilian community-dwelling adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study, using a quantitative approach. SETTING: Urban population from the city of São Carlos, located in the interior of São Paulo State, Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: 148 individuals aged 60 or over. MEASUREMENTS: Participants were assessed using the RGA, Fried Frailty Phenotype, International Physical Activity Questionnaire - long version, Addenbrooke´s Cognitive Exam - Revised Version, Mini Nutritional Assessment, short Form - 36, EuroQol 5-Dimension, Geriatric Depression Scale - short version, in addition to performing Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry to diagnose sarcopenia, according to the criteria established by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. RESULTS: In the translation and adaption process of the RGA, steps recommended by the literature were followed: initial translation, synthesis of translations, backward translation, evaluation from the panel of judges, and pre-test. When evaluating the psychometric properties of the scale, satisfactory reliability (internal consistency and stability) and validity (content, concurrent criterion and convergent, divergent and discriminant construct) were verified. CONCLUSION: The Brazilian version of the RGA is reliable and valid, and can be used in the Brazilian context to evaluate the elderly population.

Identifying Frailty Levels and Associated Factors in a Population Living in the Context of Poverty and Social Vulnerability.

This study aimed to investigate a vulnerable population living in the context of poverty in a Brazilian municipality, in order to identify the factors that are associated with frailty syndrome in elderly people. From the total population living in the area, a random sample of 363 community-dwelling people, 60 years and older, age and gender-stratified, was selected to participate in the research. After losses, a sample of 304 older adults was classified as non-frail, pre-frail and frail. According to the Fried frailty criteria, the prevalence was 12.2% for non-frail individuals, 60.5% pre-frail and 27.3% frail. The main factors associated with frailty in the studied sample were low level of physical activity (OR: 5.2, 95%CI: 2.5-11.0), the occurrence of two or more falls within 12 months (OR: 3.1, 95%CI: 1.4-7.1), mobility deficits (OR: 3.0, 95%CI: 1.5-5.8), and depressive symptoms (OR: 1.9, 95%CI: 1.1-3.7). This study identified the most important factors that must be evaluated to identify frailty syndrome in a socially vulnerable population in the context of poverty. The data should help to encourage effective strategies concerning public health policies for this population.