Validation of the Screening Instrument: PRISMA-7 for Frailty Among +75 Year Old Danes Still in Need of Physical Training When They Are Sent Home After a Hospital Stay
Conditions: Frailty Syndrome
Sponsor: Region Zealand

Validation of the Screening Instrument: PRISMA-7 for Frailty among Elderly Hospitalized Danes 
Date: 20.06.2019 
ID REG-070-2017 
 
 

 
Background 
The demographic development with an increasing proportion of elderly persons makes it necessary to 
develop instrument that may be used to identify those individuals who are in need of a more intensive 
support from the health and social systems in order to prevent morbidity, loss of function or hospitalization. 
The British Geriatric Society recommend using PRISMA-7 for screening among elderly community 
dwelling adults in order to identify frail elderly persons in need of a more comprehensive geriatric 
assessment (1). PRISMA-7 was developed in Canada as part of a project aiming to identify and improve 
treatment of elderly persons with loss of function. The acronym stands for Program of Research to Integrate 
the Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy (2-3). PRISMA-7 has been validated I Germany (4) and in 
Holland (5) but to our knowledge not in Denmark. 
Aim  
The aim of this study is to validate a Danish version of PRISMA-7. 
Methods 
PRISMA-7 was translated in to Danish and back translated into English and disagreements hereafter 
resolved. Patients 75 years or older who were dismissed from a hospital stay and by the hospital 
physiotherapist were considered to need further physical training in the municipality after dismissal were 
screened with PRISMA-7. This was done successively in the period May 1st 2017 until December 31st 2018. 
Data on individual PRISMA scores were stored in an EasyTrial Database.  
Statistical methods 
Every Danish Citizen has a unique personal identification number. This makes it possible to follow every 
person included in our study and assess mortality, morbidity, use of health services in the community, and 
use of medications (6-8). In regression models, we will study possible associations between PRISMA-7 
scores and mortality, morbidity, and use of health services. 
Ethics 
In Denmark registry studies are not requested to be approved by the ethical committee. This study was 
approved by the Danish Data Protection authorities. The EasyTrial database used for storage of PRISMA-7 
results is approved by Region Zealand as a safe place to store individual data. Any use of the EasyTrial 
database is logged. 
 
1. 
Turner, G. and A. Clegg, Best practice guidelines for the management of frailty: a British Geriatrics 
Society, Age UK and Royal College of General Practitioners report. Age Ageing, 2014. 43(6): p. 
744-7. 
2. 
Hebert, R., et al., Frail elderly patients. New model for integrated service delivery. Can Fam 
Physician, 2003. 49: p. 992-7. 
3. 
Raiche, M., R. Hebert, and M.F. Dubois, PRISMA-7: a case-finding tool to identify older adults with 
moderate to severe disabilities. Arch Gerontol Geriatr, 2008. 47(1): p. 9-18. 
4. 
Braun, T., C. Gruneberg, and C. Thiel, German translation, cross-cultural adaptation and diagnostic 
test accuracy of three frailty screening tools : PRISMA-7, FRAIL scale and Groningen Frailty 
Indicator. Z Gerontol Geriatr, 2018. 51(3): p. 282-292. 
5. 
Hoogendijk, E.O., et al., The identification of frail older adults in primary care: comparing the 
accuracy of five simple instruments. Age Ageing, 2013. 42(2): p. 262-5. 

6. 
Lynge, E., J.L. Sandegaard, and M. Rebolj, The Danish National Patient Register. Scand J Public 
Health, 2011. 39(7 Suppl): p. 30-3. 
7. 
Andersen, J.S., F. Olivarius Nde, and A. Krasnik, The Danish National Health Service Register. 
Scand J Public Health, 2011. 39(7 Suppl): p. 34-7. 
8. 
Kildemoes, H.W., H.T. Sorensen, and J. Hallas, The Danish National Prescription Registry. Scand J 
Public Health, 2011. 39(7 Suppl): p. 38-41.