Intrinsic capacity trajectories, predictors and associations with care dependence in community-dwelling older adults: A social determinant of health perspective

To identify intrinsic capacity trajectories, predictors of intrinsic capacity trajectories and associations between intrinsic capacity trajectories and care dependence in community-dwelling older adults in China. A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted, and the data were obtained from a five-year national longitudinal cohort study of older adults in China between 2011 and 2015. The social determinants of health framework informed the data analysis and interpretation. A total of 3893 older adults met the selection criteria and were included in the study. Three intrinsic capacity trajectories were identified: high trajectory (15.7 %), stable trajectory (52.7 %) and declining trajectory (31.6 %). Social determinants contribute to intrinsic capacity decline in older adults. Decreased cognitive function, psychological status, and locomotion at baseline were associated with care dependence. Approximately thirty percent of the older adults in this cohort study experienced a decline in intrinsic capacity within a 5-year period. Social determinants contributed to this decline in older adults.