Publication: The association between polypharmacy, depressive symptoms, and physical frailty status among geriatric patients at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM), Kelantan
Date
2026
Authors
En, Cheng Qiao
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Abstract
Polypharmacy, depressive symptoms, and physical frailty are important issues in geriatric care because they often occur together and may affect the health and quality of life of older adults. This study was conducted to determine the proportion of polypharmacy, depressive symptoms and physical frailty status, and to investigate the associations among these three variables among geriatric patients at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM), Kelantan. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 147 geriatric patients aged 60 years and above. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires to assess depressive symptoms status (GDS-15-M) and physical frailty status (PFFS-M). Out of 147 respondents, 64.6% had polypharmacy. Depressive symptoms were found in 29.3% of respondents, with the majority experiencing mild depressive symptoms. For physical frailty status, 55.8% of respondents were classified as frail and 15.6% were classified as at risk of frailty. Significant associations were found between polypharmacy and depressive symptoms (p=0.018), polypharmacy and physical frailty status (p<0.001), and depressive symptoms and physical frailty status (p<0.001). This study shows that polypharmacy, depressive symptoms, and physical frailty are closely related among geriatric patients and should be assessed together in clinical care
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