Exploring the Role of Social Factors in Cognitive Frailty among South Korean Older Adults

Cognitive frailty, which is characterized by the co-occurrence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment, poses significant risks to the well-being and independence of elderly individuals. Previous research has established that demographic, health-related, and social factors contribute to both physical frailty and cognitive decline. However, the role of social factors in influencing cognitive frailty remains unclear. This study aims to identify the relationship between social factors and cognitive frailty among Korean older adults living in the community. We performed secondary analyses of data from the 2020 Survey on Older Adults. After entering demographic factors and health-related factors into the logistic model as covariates, this study explored the association between cognitive frailty and social factors, including living arrangements, social support, the frequency of engagement in social activities per week, and satisfaction with friends and community. Among participants, approximately 2.9% had cognitive frailty, 3.2% had only physical frailty, and 21.9% had only cognitive decline. Lower levels of satisfaction with friends and the community and infrequent participation in social activities were strongly correlated with cognitive frailty. These findings emphasize the necessity of public health programs that encourage older individuals’ social involvement. A supportive social environment can be fostered through initiatives that promote community events, group activities, and volunteerism. Public health policies should prioritize the development and maintenance of social activity centers that offer various programs to prevent progression to cognitive frailty in older adults.