Factors associated with social frailty in older adults in Colombia

• Social frailty (SF) is extremely common among older adults in Colombia, impacting nearly seven out of ten community-dwelling individuals. • The inability to assist others, followed by limited social participation, has the greatest influence on SF. In contrast, living alone has the least impact. • Demographic variables associated with SF included level of education, female gender, and age 75 years or older. • Those classified as social frailty were more likely to have a mobility disability, IADL dependence, restricted life-space, and poor or very poor self-rated health. • This study identified important correlates of frailty to inform the care of older adults. Social frailty (SF) has gained increasing attention in recent years. While several studies have examined SF among older adults living in the community, most have been conducted in specific countries, primarily in Asia, with limited research in Latin America. The main objective of this study was to identify the relationship between SF and demographic, health, and functional conditions among older adults in Colombia. This study is a secondary analysis of the SABE Colombia study. Social frailty (SF) was assessed using the adapted HALFE Social Frailty Index. The main independent variables included demographic factors and health status indicators such as self-rated health, chronic conditions, depression, ADL/IADL dependence, mobility disability, and life-space assessment. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression in multivariate models were applied. The overall prevalence of SF was 66.3%, increasing with advancing age. Compared to individuals without SF, those with SF were more likely to have a low level of education (