An individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as evaluation method: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Frailty is the deterioration of physiological functions due to aging, linked to negative outcomes. Frailty, being a reversible and dynamic state, calls for individualized and comprehensive management. Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) is a personalized method for establishing and ass...

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Main Authors: Yu Kang, Zi-Cheng Qi, Meng-Tian Guo, Xiao-Juan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Geriatrics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06203-1
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author Yu Kang
Zi-Cheng Qi
Meng-Tian Guo
Xiao-Juan Wang
author_facet Yu Kang
Zi-Cheng Qi
Meng-Tian Guo
Xiao-Juan Wang
author_sort Yu Kang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Frailty is the deterioration of physiological functions due to aging, linked to negative outcomes. Frailty, being a reversible and dynamic state, calls for individualized and comprehensive management. Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) is a personalized method for establishing and assessing progress towards individual goals, suitable for older adults with complex requirements. We focus on attaining personalized intervention goals for elderly patients with frailty, correcting frailty manifestations, maintaining enhanced functional capacity, and cultivating sustainable health awareness, with the goal of improving overall quality of life. Methods We conducted a randomized clinical trial of an individualized intervention program using GAS as goal setting and evaluation method designed to improve physical functional in frailty elderly. A total of 160 individuals aged ≥ 60 years, who fulfill the Fried scale of frailty will be recruited from Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University. All participants set personalized goals through GAS. Patients in the intervention group receive individualized interventions, implement tailored measures based on personalized goals, attain personalized intervention goals to improve or reverse the frailty state. The participants will be followed up for 3 months and 12 months. Discussion The advantage of the present study is the method of intervention. Personalized interventions will implement based on patient-specific needs through individualized goal-setting formulated according to the GAS. If a positive consequence could be obtained, this study’s findings will offer essential information for managing frailty in older adults, applicable in regular clinical settings. Ethics and trial registration The trials have received ethics approval from the Institutional Review Board for Human Studies of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Beijing, China. The clinical study is supported by the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (2024YB53). We declare that the funding agency has independently reviewed the protocol as part of the process of awarding funding. The trial is registered as ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06919575 (Registration Date: 2025-04-02).
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spelling doaj-art-1769993c52cd45dba8ebb0e8ed95b2cf2025-08-20T03:06:00ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182025-07-012511810.1186/s12877-025-06203-1An individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as evaluation method: protocol for a randomized controlled trialYu Kang0Zi-Cheng Qi1Meng-Tian Guo2Xiao-Juan Wang3Department of General Practice, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of General Practice, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of General Practice, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of General Practice, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityAbstract Background Frailty is the deterioration of physiological functions due to aging, linked to negative outcomes. Frailty, being a reversible and dynamic state, calls for individualized and comprehensive management. Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) is a personalized method for establishing and assessing progress towards individual goals, suitable for older adults with complex requirements. We focus on attaining personalized intervention goals for elderly patients with frailty, correcting frailty manifestations, maintaining enhanced functional capacity, and cultivating sustainable health awareness, with the goal of improving overall quality of life. Methods We conducted a randomized clinical trial of an individualized intervention program using GAS as goal setting and evaluation method designed to improve physical functional in frailty elderly. A total of 160 individuals aged ≥ 60 years, who fulfill the Fried scale of frailty will be recruited from Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University. All participants set personalized goals through GAS. Patients in the intervention group receive individualized interventions, implement tailored measures based on personalized goals, attain personalized intervention goals to improve or reverse the frailty state. The participants will be followed up for 3 months and 12 months. Discussion The advantage of the present study is the method of intervention. Personalized interventions will implement based on patient-specific needs through individualized goal-setting formulated according to the GAS. If a positive consequence could be obtained, this study’s findings will offer essential information for managing frailty in older adults, applicable in regular clinical settings. Ethics and trial registration The trials have received ethics approval from the Institutional Review Board for Human Studies of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Beijing, China. The clinical study is supported by the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (2024YB53). We declare that the funding agency has independently reviewed the protocol as part of the process of awarding funding. The trial is registered as ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06919575 (Registration Date: 2025-04-02).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06203-1FrailtyGoal attainment scalingPhysical functionStudy protocolGeriatric
spellingShingle Yu Kang
Zi-Cheng Qi
Meng-Tian Guo
Xiao-Juan Wang
An individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as evaluation method: protocol for a randomized controlled trial
BMC Geriatrics
Frailty
Goal attainment scaling
Physical function
Study protocol
Geriatric
title An individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as evaluation method: protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_full An individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as evaluation method: protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_fullStr An individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as evaluation method: protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed An individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as evaluation method: protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_short An individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as evaluation method: protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_sort individualized physical function improvement program for frailty elderly using goal attainment scaling gas as evaluation method protocol for a randomized controlled trial
topic Frailty
Goal attainment scaling
Physical function
Study protocol
Geriatric
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06203-1
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