Table 1 Characteristics of the sample according to frailty status, robust versus non-robust (pre-frail and frail state)

Age (years), mean (SD)^b

(SD 7.2)

(SD 5.1)

(SD 7.3)

d = − 0.659

Sex, n (%)^a

 Men

(39.4%)

(57.4%)

(33.6%)

h = 0.466

 Women

(60.6%)

(42.6%)

(66.4%)

h = − 0.467

Education, years, n (%)^a

 ≤ 8

(60.2%)

(52.5%)

(62.7%)

h = −0.203

 9–17

(23.9%)

(29.0%)

(22.3%)

h = 0.161

 ≥ 18

(15.9%)

(18.6%)

(15.0%)

h = 0.107

Marital status, n (%)^a

 Single

(7.5%)

(9.3%)

(6.9%)

h = 0.073

 Married

(57.9%)

(70.5%)

(53.8%)

h = 0.353

 Widowed

(30.7%)

(16.9%)

(35.2%)

h = −0.416

 Divorced or separated

3.9%)

(3.3%)

(4.1%)

h = −0.055

Who lives with you…?, n (%)^a

 No one

(25.8%)

(16.9%)

(28.7%)

h = −0.287

 Spouse

(57.4%)

(69.4%)

(53.5%)

h = 0.310

 Children

(28.9%)

(31.7%)

(28.0%)

h = 0.088

 Grandchildren

(7.6%)

(8.2%)

(7.4%)

h = 0.038

 Parents

(2.0%)

(4.4%)

(1.2%)

h = 0.203

 Brothers and sisters

(3.2%)

(3.3%)

(3.2%)

h = 0.000

 Other relatives

(7.0%)

(8.2%)

(6.5%)

h = 0.038

 Non-related paid helper

(0.4%)

(0.0%)

(0.5%)

h = −0.451

 Others

(1.2%)

(0.0%)

(1.6%)

h = − 0.284

Frequency of feelings of loneliness, n (%)^a

 Quite often

(5.8%)

(3.3%)

(6.6%)

h = −0.188

 Sometimes

(17.0%)

(14.8%)

(17.8%)

h = −0.081

 Almost never

(77.2%)

(82.0%)

(75.7%)

h = 0.147

Social Resources Rating, n (%)^a

 Excellent

(32.7%)

(36.5%)

(31.5%)

h = 0.105

 Good

(43.9%)

(45.3%)

(43.5%)

h = 0.020

 Mild Impairment

(14.1%)

(11.6%)

(14.9%)

h = −0.795

 Moderate Impairment

(4.8%)

(3.9%)

(5.1%)

h = 0.256

 Severe Impairment

(2.9%)

(2.2%)

(3.1%)

h = −0.064

 Total Impairment

(1.6%)

(0.6%)

(2.0%)

h = − 0.084

How would you rate your quality of life?, n (%)^a

 Very poor

(0.4%)

(0.0%)

(0.5%)

h = −0.200

 Poor

(2.0%)

(0.5%)

(2.5%)

h = −0.148

 Neither poor nor good

(29.8%)

(25.7%)

(31.1%)

h = − 0.111

 Good

(51.5%)

(52.5%)

(51.2%)

h = 0.040

 Very good

(16.3%)

(21.3%)

(14.7%)

h = 0.157

How satisfied are you with your health?, n (%)^a

 Very dissatisfied

(1.2%)

(0.5%)

(1.4%)

h = 0.000

 Dissatisfied

(3.7%)

(0.5%)

(4.8%)

h = − 0.251

 Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

(17.9%)

(13.1%)

(19.4%)

h = −0.164

 Satisfied

(56.6%)

(61.2%)

(55.1%)

h = 0.122

 Very satisfied

(20.6%)

(24.6%)

(19.3%)

h = 0.145

Physical health- WHOQOL-BREF score, mean (SD)^b

(SD 2.1)

(SD 1.9)

(SD 2.1)

d = 0.536

Psychological WHOQOL-BREF score, mean (SD)^b

(SD 1.9)

(SD 1.8)

(SD 2.0)

d = 0.256

Social relationships WHOQOL-BREF score, mean (SD)^b

(SD 2.5)

(SD 2.5)

(SD 2.5)

d = 0.120

Environment WHOQOL-BREF score, mean (SD)^b

(SD 1.8)

(SD 1.9)

(SD 1.8)

d = 0.055