Cross-Sectional Associations Between Health Behaviors and Intrinsic Capacity Among Older People in Taiwan Across...

The present study assessed intrinsic capacity (IC) and its potential health-associated behaviors among three groups of older people (community dwellers, hospital outpatients, and hospital inpatients). In a cross-sectional study, 1225 older people (mean age=72.9 years [SD±7.4]; 51.3% females) from the three different settings participated. The participants' IC and their frequency of various health-related behaviors were assessed (i.e., physical activity [PA] engagement, alcohol drinking, and cigarette smoking). The community dwellers had the highest IC, followed by outpatients and inpatients. Community dwellers also had the highest regular PA engagement (83.4%) and the lowest former cigarette smoking (11.4%), current cigarette smoking (3.1%), and former alcohol drinking (1.2%) levels, again followed by outpatients and inpatients. Former alcohol drinking and PA engagement, as well as being community dwellers and outpatient status, were significantly associated with IC. After stratifying based on settings, PA engagement remained significantly associated with IC for all participants from different settings, while former alcohol drinking remained a significant correlation among community dwellers and outpatients. PA engagement was consistently associated with IC among Taiwanese older adults differently across different settings. These differences should be considered for any intervention program to improve IC among older people. Among older adult inpatients especially, specific modes to deliver effective intervention to improve PA engagement after discharge might be considered (e.g., establishing screening and brief motivational interventions).