Breaking boundaries: integration of sports and medicine in the community elderly service model

China possesses the largest aging population globally and is experiencing the most rapid demographic transitions, presenting substantial public health challenges. In response, the Healthy China strategy has emphasized the integration of sports and medicine as a key initiative for monitoring and promotion, with a particular focus on community services. This study employed grounded theory classification coding to identify core concepts and key factors. It systematically constructed a theoretical model for integrating sports and medicine into community elderly services, while conducting a developmental pathway analysis that compares major international models with China's practical approach. The overarching aim was to jointly advance public health and enhance the nation's overall well-being.

Utilizing grounded theory and NVivo, this study analyzed policies, reports, and cases related to the integration of sports medicine. Through open, axial, and selective coding with constant comparative analysis, it identified key factors of integrated model services. Consequently, a theoretical framework and operational model were constructed for China, elucidating contextual conditions, stakeholder interactions, multi-actor collaboration, and implementation pathways for community-dwelling older adults.

This study delineates the operational characteristics, performance outcomes, and bottlenecks of four service typologies. It offers critical appraisal of their respective merits and limitations, while emphasizing how policy directives steer their development. This comparative synthesis substantiates the practical feasibility and conceptual robustness of the proposed model, demonstrating its capacity to enhance integrated community-based service delivery.

A total of 355,796 characters of text were included, resulting in the construction of 981 coding reference points, identified 13 critical categories and the core concepts underpinning the integration of sports and medicine services for the elderly. The proposal of four distinct and innovative community integration models: the Sports-led Model, the Medicine-led Model, the Technology-driven Model, and the Talent-driven Model. These models offer specific and actionable guidance for developing diversified and efficient elderly health services within the community.