Clinical usefulness of tools used for screening and measuring frailty in the ambulance and emergency department in older people: a scoping review protocol
Abstract
Introduction: As people age, frailty becomes increasingly prevalent and is associated with adverse outcomes, including higher risks of hospitalisation, institutionalisation and mortality. Early identification of frailty in ambulance and emergency department (ED) settings may support clinical decision-making and help predict outcomes for older patients. However, there is currently no consensus on how frailty should be assessed in these settings, and the clinical usefulness of available tools remains uncertain. This protocol outlines the methods for a planned scoping review that aims to identify frailty screening tools used for older adults (age ≥65 years) in the ambulance and ED settings and to evaluate existing evidence on their clinical usefulness.
Methods and analysis: This protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for Protocols, and the final review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and is reported in accordance with the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Studies will be included if they examine the use of frailty screening or assessment tools in individuals aged 65 years or older in ambulance and/or ED settings and report on aspects of clinical usefulness, such as feasibility, predictive validity or influence on clinical decisions. A comprehensive literature search will be conducted in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science for studies published in English between…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence.
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