The association between frailty and medicines use over time: an analysis using the Australian Longitudinal Study on Ageing population

Background Frailty and medicine‐related problems are common among the elderly and have been associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes. However, there has been limited research on the association between frailty and medicines use. Aim To determine the distribution of frailty among older people who used medicines and to examine the difference in frailty scores over time with continuation or discontinuation of specific medicines. Methods The study population was from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ALSA). The data used in the analysis were collected in 1992 (wave 1) and in 1995 (wave 3). Frailty scores were assessed at both waves using a modified version of the Frailty Index. Non‐parametric tests were used to examine the difference in the distribution of frailty scores in relation to medicines used at baseline. Medicine use was categorised into continued or stopped by comparing use at wave 3 to use at baseline. A t‐test was used to compare the mean changes in frailty scores between the two groups, with a p‐value of