Background: Despite advances in supportive care for HSCT, frailty remains a significant concern among HSCT recipients, affecting their quality of life and long-term outcomes. A better understanding of the self-management factors associated with physical activity and frailty is particularly needed among HSCT populations in Jordan.

Objectives: The study aimed to examine the prevalence of frailty among Jordanian HSCT recipients. It also aimed to examine the relationships between exercise self-efficacy and social support, as self-management factors, with physical activity and frailty.

Methods: A convenience sample of 136 HSCT recipients (≥18 years) was recruited for this cross-sectional correlational study. Participants completed validated questionnaires on exercise self-efficacy, social support, and physical activity. Frailty was measured using the Fried Frailty Phenotype. Three brief open-ended questions were included and analyzed using content analysis to provide contextual insights.

Findings: The prevalence of frailty was 41.3%. Age (OR: 1.11; 95% CI 1.03–1.19), marital status (OR: 10.61; 95% CI: 1.25– 89.51), and the presence of graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD; OR: 20.03; 95% CI: 2.78– 143.39) were associated with frailty. Higher exercise self-efficacy was associated with higher physical activity (χ² = 85.95, p < .001) and lower frailty (OR: 264.9, 95% CI: 18.79- 3734.5, p < .001), while social support showed no significant association (p > .05).

Conclusion: Frailty prevalence among Jordanian HSCT recipients was substantially higher than that reported in Western populations. Future research should prioritize integrating frailty screening into standard pre-HSCT assessments for risk stratification and developing culturally tailored interventions to mitigate frailty-related risks. 

Implications for Nursing: Integrating physical frailty screening into routine HSCT assessments and providing targeted education for healthcare professionals, including nurses, is highly recommended.