Application of a Cross-Theoretical Model-Based Frailty Management Program in Elderly Patients with COPD Comorbidities

© 2026 by the Authors. Licensee Whioce Publishing, Singapore. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )

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Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of a frailty management program based on a trans-theoretical model in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and comorbidities. Methods: From January to September 2025, 80 elderly COPD patients with comorbidities admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine were randomly assigned to an observation group (n=40) and a control group (n=40) using a random number table. The control group received routine nursing care, while the observation group underwent a frailty management program based on a cross-theoretical model. Pre- and post-operation compliance with frailty management, activities of daily living (ADL), pulmonary function indicators (FEV1, FEV1/FVC), and frailty (EFS) occurrence were compared between groups. Results: Post-intervention, the observation group demonstrated superior scores in frailty management adherence, ADL, and pulmonary function indicators compared to the control group (P<0.05), with a lower incidence of frailty (P<0.05). Conclusion: A frailty management program based on a cross-theoretical model effectively enhances frailty management adherence, improves pulmonary function and ADL, and reduces frailty incidence in elderly COPD patients with comorbidities, demonstrating clinical applicability.

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