Association of cardiometabolic multimorbidity and frailty in older adults with chronic diseases in rural shandong:The role of self-efficacy to manage chronic disease
Objective To investigate the association between cardiometabolic multimorbidity(CMM)and cardiometabolic diseases(CMDs)with frailty in elderly patients suffering from chronic diseases in rural Shandong.Additionally,it seeks to analyze the role of self-efficacy in chronic disease management in mitigating the risk of frailty associated with CMM and CMDs.Methods A multi-stage cluster random sampling method was employed to select 2,778 elderly patients aged 60 and above with chronic diseases in rural Shandong Province.Frailty was assessed using the Frailty Phenotype(FP),while self-efficacy in chronic disease management was measured using the Self-Efficacy to Manage Chronic Disease Scale(SEMCD).For the analysis,binary logistic regression and marginal effects were utilized.Results The prevalence of frailty among elderly patients with chronic diseases in rural Shandong was found to be 12.28%,while the prevalence of CMM was reported at 53.20%.Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that frailty was significantly associated with several factors,including age,education level,annual per capita income,employment status,and self-efficacy in managing chronic disease(allP<0.05).Notably,increases in CMM(P=0.001)and the number of CMDs(P<0.001)were linked to a heightened risk of frailty.Furthermore,marginal effects analysis indicated that individuals in the high self-efficacy group exhibited significantly lower risks of frailty associated with CMM and CMDs compared to those in the low self-efficacy group,with risk reductions of 96.9%(95%CI:-1.258--0.681,P<0.001)and 85.7%(95%CI:-1.175--0.539,P<0.001),respectively.Conclusions Both the presence of CMM and a higher number of CMDs are linked to an increased risk of frailty.However,elevated levels of self-efficacy in chronic disease management can significantly mitigate the frailty risk associated with CMM and CMDs.It is advisable to enhance health education and self-management training,as well as to establish a comprehensive,multidisciplinary,and multidimensional health management system for the elderly.This approach aims to improve self-efficacy in chronic disease management among rural elderly populations,thereby preventing and addressing the onset of frailty.