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BACKGROUND: This study aimed to adopt the network analysis approach to elucidate the complex associations among various domains of intrinsic capacity (IC) and the factors contributing to IC impairments among community-dwelling older adults based on the health ecological model. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was adopted, and older adults were recruited from local community health centers. IC was assessed using standardized tools recommended by the World Health Organization. The potential influencing factors of IC were collected based on the health ecological model, including personal characteristics, behavioral lifestyles, interpersonal networks, and living and working conditions. Network analyses were performed using a mixed graphical model to explore the complex relationships among IC domains and their associated factors. RESULTS: Among 3398 eligible participants, 2634 (77.52 %) individuals showed IC impairment, including mobility impairment (46.60 %), cognition impairment (39.38 %) and sensory impairment (35.00 %). Cognition and mobility functions were strongly interrelated (r = 0.24). The predictability values for IC domains were 27.7 % for cognition, 22.9 % for mobility, 15.4 % for psychology, 8.0 % for vitality and 7.5 % for sensory function. Education, age, monthly income, and the number of comorbidities showed close correlations with multiple IC domains. Furthermore, cognition showed specific positive links with lifestyles involving more mental engagement and intellectual work. Mobility was particularly associated with physical activity, including leisure time and household physical activities. Psychological capacity showed a specific association with sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS: IC, particularly in the domains of cognition and mobility, was prevalently impaired among older adults. We identified both common and domain-specific factors associated with IC, offering insights for developing targeted interventions to enhance IC.
Zou et al. (Wed,) studied this question.