Nurse-led, community-based interventions for people with or at risk of frailty: A rapid review

Nurse-led, community-based interventions for people with or at risk of frailty: A rapid review | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Nurse-led, community-based interventions for people with or at risk of frailty: A rapid review Eleni Glarou, Clare Davis, David Jarrom, Juliet Hounsome, Elizabeth Gillen, and 6 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8741018/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Community-based interventions are designed to address the needs of individuals living in the community, and particularly those with or at risk of frailty. Their primary aim is to support individuals to live independently in their homes. The aim of this rapid review is to identify and assess evidence on the clinical effectiveness of community-based interventions, led by nurses, for individuals with or at risk of frailty. The review includes 23 eligible studies conducted in the UK and Europe, which were published between 1984 and 2023. These studies included 16 distinct nurse-led interventions. The interventions differed considerably in factors including the procedures they used, how they were delivered and how tailored this was to individual needs, and their duration/intensity. 17 studies reported changes in activities of daily living (ADLs). One study suggested that a nurse-led rehabilitation programme for people with frailty was more likely to improve independence in personal ADLs compared to usual care. In eight studies reporting falls incidence, one study found that a nurse-led health consultation programme reduced falls incidence compared to usual care, while seven studies of other interventions found no conclusive evidence for this outcome. 13 studies reported hospital admission rates in people receiving nurse-led interventions. One study found that a nurse-led consultation programme reduced the proportion of participants experiencing hospital admissions compared to usual care, and one study found that a nurse-led surveillance programme for people with frailty was associated with fewer individuals admitted to hospital compared to usual care. We found no conclusive evidence on how any nurse-led interventions affect frailty status or progression, instrumental activities of daily living, mortality, and long-term care needs. Whilst the evidence suggests some specific types of interventions may be beneficial, the evidence is insufficient to conclude that these interventions would offer benefit if deployed. The findings could be used to explore how these interventions fit into the wider context of community care. We found no evidence suggesting that the use of nurse-led community-based interventions was detrimental when compared with usual care. Therefore, such interventions may offer added value by reducing the demand for, and/or the costs associated with, care delivered by other health care professionals. This review only studied interventions led specifically by nurses. It may be helpful to consider our findings alongside new (or existing) research into interventions delivered by wider teams of healthcare professionals. Health Policy Frailty community-based interventions nurse-led Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8741018","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":583040464,"identity":"d9e2f516-057b-445c-a54d-246587271af0","order_by":0,"name":"Eleni Glarou","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABCElEQVRIie2RMWsCMRSA3xFIlydZI2nPv5AiCEJ7/pUcBzoJjkKHCkKcStcToT/j5iuCLoeuNwqFzp3E4RCTc+oQudEh3/B4D/LlvZcAeDx3yGBhgoLosa7+AOqE2MAdiiS1kqAtghQAmykA+fUkNlPI5nAwClutN+JVR8hYTn8mFcTLmWMXQkdSGYXvhkMx1gm2U/XQXWqIV84u2OMKtggF9sQ4IyhLoKI1g/jLqbCjUdbYsUo/e8fBPqcCq1sK0lqRVgkyk4AyCr01GDWDyQSfC5r0P85b5GWsRUvzrnP9xfy3fZpGYViQ7/JUvIXs0zwdVi9Pae5oc+31rwrs9a5f8Xg8Hk8TLsYqSCfoF6alAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5666-2458","institution":"Health Technology Wales","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Eleni","middleName":"","lastName":"Glarou","suffix":""},{"id":583040465,"identity":"59d31de0-79b3-4e31-b77f-1825676c6a44","order_by":1,"name":"Clare Davis","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Health Technology Wales","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Clare","middleName":"","lastName":"Davis","suffix":""},{"id":583040466,"identity":"dac14d9d-3f07-4234-8503-369ad4bcd105","order_by":2,"name":"David Jarrom","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6008-4758","institution":"Health Technology Wales","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"David","middleName":"","lastName":"Jarrom","suffix":""},{"id":583040467,"identity":"812013b8-267a-4c98-b449-818a1c260438","order_by":3,"name":"Juliet Hounsome","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2026-3778","institution":"Specialist Unit for Review Evidence, Cardiff University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Juliet","middleName":"","lastName":"Hounsome","suffix":""},{"id":583040468,"identity":"b68f14e7-b655-4768-ab73-8b07f7ff413c","order_by":4,"name":"Elizabeth Gillen","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3700-3913","institution":"Wales Centre for Evidence Based Care, Cardiff University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Elizabeth","middleName":"","lastName":"Gillen","suffix":""},{"id":583040469,"identity":"9dbfbdd1-e0e9-4da8-92e6-20f56bc3159f","order_by":5,"name":"Praveena Pemmasani","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre, Cardiff University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Praveena","middleName":"","lastName":"Pemmasani","suffix":""},{"id":583040470,"identity":"f6b1864a-adb7-4dc9-be01-8aeec3033729","order_by":6,"name":"Jacob Davies","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2734-3568","institution":"Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation, Bangor University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jacob","middleName":"","lastName":"Davies","suffix":""},{"id":583040471,"identity":"8f9344e6-b7dc-43cc-96d2-0cb75f812107","order_by":7,"name":"Rhiannon Tudor Edwards","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4748-5730","institution":"Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation, Bangor University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rhiannon","middleName":"Tudor","lastName":"Edwards","suffix":""},{"id":583040472,"identity":"e7f26652-a094-4ced-8077-9eb1e9f28d1b","order_by":8,"name":"Deborah Edwards","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1885-9297","institution":"Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre, Cardiff University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Deborah","middleName":"","lastName":"Edwards","suffix":""},{"id":583040473,"identity":"99a8ebe6-0bee-46a1-8cee-f9d90f4407f8","order_by":9,"name":"Adrian Edwards","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6228-4446","institution":"Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre, Cardiff University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Adrian","middleName":"","lastName":"Edwards","suffix":""},{"id":583040474,"identity":"5db845bb-9961-4cff-81a3-1207f89cd051","order_by":10,"name":"Ruth Lewis","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0745-995X","institution":"Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre, Bangor University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ruth","middleName":"","lastName":"Lewis","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-30 12:28:03","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8741018/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8741018/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104326310,"identity":"7e6c6f62-2f91-46e1-b233-9ed45e8c3990","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-10 14:11:34","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2108863,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"HealthandCareResearchWalesEvidenceCentrePeoplewithoratriskoffrailtyRapidReviewJan2026.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8741018/v1_covered_5ba123d8-6879-4c1e-bd64-c9b101bf584d.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eNurse-led, community-based interventions for people with or at risk of frailty: A rapid review\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Frailty, community-based, interventions, nurse-led","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8741018/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8741018/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eCommunity-based interventions are designed to address the needs of individuals living in the community, and particularly those with or at risk of frailty. Their primary aim is to support individuals to live independently in their homes. The aim of this rapid review is to identify and assess evidence on the clinical effectiveness of community-based interventions, led by nurses, for individuals with or at risk of frailty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe review includes 23 eligible studies conducted in the UK and Europe, which were published between 1984 and 2023. These studies included 16 distinct nurse-led interventions. The interventions differed considerably in factors including the procedures they used, how they were delivered and how tailored this was to individual needs, and their duration/intensity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e17 studies reported changes in activities of daily living (ADLs). One study suggested that a nurse-led rehabilitation programme for people with frailty was more likely to improve independence in personal ADLs compared to usual care. In eight studies reporting falls incidence, one study found that a nurse-led health consultation programme reduced falls incidence compared to usual care, while seven studies of other interventions found no conclusive evidence for this outcome. 13 studies reported hospital admission rates in people receiving nurse-led interventions. One study found that a nurse-led consultation programme reduced the proportion of participants experiencing hospital admissions compared to usual care, and one study found that a nurse-led surveillance programme for people with frailty was associated with fewer individuals admitted to hospital compared to usual care. We found no conclusive evidence on how any nurse-led interventions affect frailty status or progression, instrumental activities of daily living, mortality, and long-term care needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst the evidence suggests some specific types of interventions may be beneficial, the evidence is insufficient to conclude that these interventions would offer benefit if deployed. The findings could be used to explore how these interventions fit into the wider context of community care. We found no evidence suggesting that the use of nurse-led community-based interventions was detrimental when compared with usual care. Therefore, such interventions may offer added value by reducing the demand for, and/or the costs associated with, care delivered by other health care professionals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis review only studied interventions led specifically by nurses. It may be helpful to consider our findings alongside new (or existing) research into interventions delivered by wider teams of healthcare professionals.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Nurse-led, community-based interventions for people with or at risk of frailty: A rapid review","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-02 02:19:50","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8741018/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"475375c2-0757-4dd1-bbc0-d2c2913f5875","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 2nd, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":62030748,"name":"Health Policy"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-10T14:12:52+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-02 02:19:50","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8741018","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8741018","identity":"rs-8741018","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}