This study aims to investigate the current status and correlation between social capital and frailty among the elderly in Zhejiang Province, with the goal of providing a theoretical basis for delaying the onset of frailty. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 10 communities and 10 rural areas in Zhejiang Province from June to August 2023.Stratified sampling was used to select 853 elderly participants, who completed general information questionnaires, social capital assessments, and vulnerability scales. Pearson correlation analysis and binary linear regression were employed to explore the relationship between social capital and vulnerability. The average frailty score was 4.48±2.42, with 352 (41.3%) of the elderly classified as frail. The average social capital score was 19.28±2.30; 459 elderly individuals (53.8%) fell into the high social capital category, which showed a negative correlation with vulnerability scores (r=-0.428). Further analysis revealed that age, place of residence, alcohol consumption, living alone, self-rated health, and social capital all influenced vulnerability levels. Therefore, it is evident that social capital plays a significant role in shaping elderly frailty development; interventions targeting social capital may effectively delay this process.

Limei Zou, Jinping Zhan, Jingshi Liao, Xiaolei Wang. Analysis of the correlation between social capital and frailty among the elderly in Zhejiang Province, China. Frontiers in Medical Science Research (2024), Vol. 6, Issue 7: 36-45. https://doi.org/10.25236/FMSR.2024.060704.

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