Frailty and self-neglect among community-dwelling older adults: a multiple-group structural equation modeling analysis

This study aimed to investigate the association between frailty and self-neglect and to examine the mediating roles of social networks and depression in this relationship among community-dwelling older adults. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed, with a sample of 521 individuals aged 60 years and older recruited from community settings between July 2021 and February 2022. Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Amos 21.0. Structural equation modeling revealed that physical frailty (PE = 0.054) and cognitive frailty (PE = 0.148) were directly associated with self-neglect, as well as indirectly linked through pathways involving social networks and depression. In contrast, overall frailty, psychological frailty, and social frailty exhibited only indirect associations with self-neglect, operating exclusively through these mediators. These findings underscore the importance of early identification of frailty and targeted interventions to strengthen social networks and address depressive symptoms, which may significantly improve the management of self-neglect and enhance well-being in aging populations.