Introduction: Frailty is a condition characterized by decreased muscle strength and activity in older adults. It is considered an intermediate stage that can transition to either a healthy state or a state requiring care, depending on interventions. While frailty assessments and interventions typically focus on nutrition, exercise, and social participation, occupational therapists can explore preventive approaches by emphasizing "environment" and "occupation."
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of frailty among middle-aged and older adults in Japan and examine the role of environmental modifications in daily frailty prevention.
Methods: In January 2025, a web-based survey was conducted with 1,400 community-dwelling individuals aged 40 and older in Japan. The participants were categorized into three groups: frail, pre-frail, and normal. Data were analyzed using SPSS, considering both age groups and frailty classifications. This study was approved by the ethics committee of the affiliated research institution.
Results: The overall prevalence of frailty was 39.8%, with 31.4% in their 40s and 18.4% in their 70s. This suggests that a significant number of younger individuals also experience frailty or pre-frailty. There were no major differences in daily preventive measures across age groups. Additionally, no significant differences were observed in environmental modifications such as handrails among the three groups, indicating that even frail individuals had not made substantial changes to their living environment.
Conclusion: Due to the web-based nature of this study, selection bias may exist. Older adults using the internet may be relatively healthier, whereas younger respondents participating in the survey may be less active. Future research should address these biases and further explore the role of occupational therapy in frailty prevention.