Social vulnerability index, physical frailty and delirium in hospitalized older adults

Abstract Objective To analyze the relationship between the social vulnerability index and physical frailty condition and delirium in hospitalized older adults. Methods Cross-sectional analytical study of older adults developed in a hospital in southern Brazil. The collection instruments used were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the social vulnerability index, physical frailty phenotype markers and the Confusion Assessment Method. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Results Of the 305 older adults evaluated, 59.4% were female, 40.9% were aged over 80 years and 92.6% had morbidities. There was an association between hospitalization and female sex with low and medium vulnerability (64.8%; 95%CI 55.9-72.7 and 63%; 95%CI 53.2-71.8, respectively, with p=0.0262) . Delirium was observed in 29.5% (95%CI 22.3-38.4) of older adults over 60 years of age with low vulnerability, 17% (10.9-25.5) medium, 14.5% ( 8.6-23.9) high, with p=0.0151. There was no association between delirium and the vulnerability index in older adults aged over 80 years, with p=0.235. Delirium affected 44.3% (32.5-56.7) of older adults with low vulnerability, 35% (22.1-50.5) with medium and 25% (12-44.9) high. There was no association between frailty and social vulnerability, with p=0.927. Among older adults aged 80 years or over, frail people prevailed in the three vulnerability strata (low 59.7%; medium 57.5% and high 56%), p=0.788. Conclusion Hospitalization and delirium were associated with younger, pre-frail women from low and medium social vulnerability. The condition of frailty did not correlate with social vulnerability. The need to better understand the biopsychosocial factors that can increase delirium in hospitalized older adults with low social vulnerability is highlighted.