Dynamics in pandemics: frailty in older people with COVID-19

Abstract

Based on health outcomes in older people with COVID-19, this thesis provides directions for healthcare in future pandemics and the coordination of research into pandemics during the initial phase of a pandemic. Although frailty is associated with COVID-19 health outcomes, its complex aetiology, indirect measurement of underlying causal pathways, variety in phenotypes and poor predictive value hamper translation of the Clinical Frailty Scale to specific treatment recommendations. The clinical utility of frailty in future pandemics may reside less in the prediction of outcomes and more in shared-decision making and care planning.