Work

The World Health Organization Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) Framework and the Association with Frailty in Older Adults

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization published the 2019 Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework to guide, assess, and promote the intrinsic capacity (IC) of older adults, referring to their physical and mental health. This study aims to investigate the relationship between IC and frailty among older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a medical center in Taiwan in 2021. Two hundred ten patients over 65 admitted to the geriatric ward were invited to participate. The questionnaire included an IC measure, Fried Frailty Scale, and demographic items. The IC measure was ascertained using the six domains of ICOPE (cognition, mobility, nutrition, visual, hearing, and depressive symptoms). The Fried Frailty Scale was used to categorize participants as robust (Fried Frailty Scale=0), prefrail (Fried Frailty Scale=1-2), or frail (Fried Frailty Scale ≥3). Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the association between individual ICOPE domains and frailty stages, while adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: Among the participants, 39.0% were prefrail, and 28.6% were frail. Limited mobility and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with prefrail (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=4.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.82-10.82; aOR=8.41, 95% CI 1.75-40.37) and frail (aOR=11.57, 95% CI 3.63-36.93; aOR=13.77, 95% CI 2.62-72.49) individuals, respectively. Malnutrition (aOR=4.01, 95% CI 1.18-13.62) and hearing loss (aOR=4.37, 95% CI 1.09-19.66) were significantly associated with frail older adults. CONCLUSION: Limited mobility and depressive symptoms occurring at the prefrail stage could be used as assessment items for early detection of prefrail.

Source: Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research

DOI: 10.4235/agmr.25.0125

Authors: Wan-Yun Chou, Kun-Pei Lin, Chiung-Jung Wen, Ding-Cheng (Derrick) Chan, Su-I Hou

Institutions: University of Central Florida, National Taiwan University, National Taiwan University Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Frailty in Older Adults

Subfield: Geriatrics and Gerontology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W4416905216