Current status and progress of validation studies on the ICOPE scale: a scoping review

With the rapid global population aging, systematically and early identifying and managing functional decline in older adults has become a core challenge in public health. The Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework and its screening tool, proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), aim to prevent disability by assessing intrinsic capacity. However, there is a lack of systematic review of the implementation strategies, effects, and challenges of this tool in different global contexts. This study aimed to review the global implementation evidence of the ICOPE screening tool, analyze its integration paths and influencing factors, and provide a basis for constructing an integrated care model suitable for different resource environments.

This study systematically retrieved and included literatures meeting the criteria, and comprehensively sorted and conducted comparative analyses of the design, population, positive screening rate, tool performance indicators (such as sensitivity and specificity), and implementation challenges of the included studies.

The study demonstrated significant heterogeneity in the global application of the ICOPE screening tool. The positive screening rates vary greatly due to differences in research design, target populations, and assessment criteria. The psychometric properties of the tool differ across various cultural backgrounds, and the implementation process faces common challenges such as disconnection between screening and intervention, uneven accessibility of digital tools, lack of evidence for long-term effects, and absence of unified diagnostic criteria.

The ICOPE framework shows preliminary feasibility and global acceptance, but the performance of the screening tools needs to be interpreted in the context of specific cultures and populations. Future research should focus on unifying core measurement indicators, conducting long-term validity verification, and establishing a standardized implementation path integrating screening, assessment, and intervention to promote effective implementation of this strategy globally, especially in resource-limited areas.