Frailty prevalence among individuals with early- vs adult-onset asthma: a cross-sectional analysis of the CLSA

Project Summary

Asthma is associated with increased frailty risk. However, the impact of asthma age of onset on frailty prevalence remains unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we will use baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) to compare the prevalence of frailty among individuals with early-onset versus adult-onset asthma. Early-onset asthma is defined as diagnosis before age 18, and adult-onset as diagnosis at age 18 or older. Frailty will be assessed using the 52-item Frailty Index and the Fried Frailty Phenotype, consistent with prior CLSA-based studies. We will also perform sex-stratified analyses to assess differences between males and females. We hypothesize that adult-onset asthma will be linked with higher frailty prevalence, especially among females. Findings may help identify high-risk groups and support earlier frailty screening and management in people with asthma.