Younger adults who experience frailty are at a higher risk of death and emergency hospital admission, as revealed by a recent study conducted by the University of Dundee. Published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, the research was led by Dr. Daniel Morales from the University’s School of Medicine. The study aimed to determine if the electronic frailty index (eFI), commonly used for older adults, could also identify vulnerable younger individuals who could benefit from early support.
Frailty is often associated with old age, but medically, it refers to a decreased ability of the body to cope with illness or stress due to the accumulation of health issues. This condition makes individuals more susceptible to sudden health declines, hospitalizations, and premature death. The eFI assigns scores to patients based on their health deficits, ranging from “fit” to “severely frail” depending on chronic conditions, symptoms, or disabilities. The Dundee research demonstrated that younger adults identified as frail are at a significantly higher risk of death or emergency hospitalization, indicating that frailty is relevant across all adult age groups, not just in older individuals.
Dr. Morales emphasized that identifying at-risk younger adults through the eFI could lead to early interventions such as medication adjustments, rehabilitation, or targeted support to prevent avoidable hospital admissions and deaths. This personalized approach to care tailored to individual health needs could not only benefit patients but also alleviate the strain on healthcare systems by reducing unplanned hospital visits. However, more research is required to understand the underlying causes of frailty in younger adults and how best to support them without stigma.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, analyzed health records of nearly 1 million individuals in England to assess the applicability of the electronic frailty index to adults aged 18–64. Despite frailty being less common in younger adults, those classified as frail faced similar risks of death and emergency hospitalization as older adults with the same frailty score. This research is crucial as existing frailty tools have primarily focused on older populations, neglecting the fact that younger adults with multiple health issues may also be frail.
By reliably predicting risk in younger adults, the eFI could assist clinicians in identifying vulnerable individuals early in life and intervening before severe health complications arise. This new perspective on frailty care could potentially shift the focus from late-life interventions to a life-course approach, ultimately improving outcomes for patients and easing the burden on healthcare systems.
For more information, the study titled “Applicability of the electronic frailty index in younger and older adults in England: a population-based cohort study” can be accessed in The Lancet Healthy Longevity. (DOI: 10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100752).
This article was provided by the University of Dundee. For further details, visit their website at www.dundee.ac.uk.
