Abstract
BACKGROUND: In China, community-dwelling older adults with intrinsic capacity (IC) impairments often turn first to primary care centers, where they face increasingly complex health needs. Given the high prevalence of IC impairment among older adults in Chinese communities, there is a pressing need to explore context-specific, nurse-led multi-domain interventions to support functional ability and healthy aging. DESIGN: A parallel-group, cluster randomized trial conducted in September 2023, involving 86 older adults from two distinct communities. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to either a 14-week nurse-led multidomain intervention or usual care. Intrinsic capacity-including composite IC, and the domains of locomotion, cognition, vitality, psychological well-being, and sensory function-was assessed at baseline (T0), immediately post-intervention (T1), and one month post-intervention (T2). Statistical analyses included descriptive and inferential tests. RESULTS: Data from 81 participants were analyzed. The intervention group showed significantly higher IC scores than the control group at both T1 and T2 (T1: t = 6.607, P < 0.001; T2: t = 7.118, P < 0.001). Significant between-group (F = 38.948, P < 0.001), time (F = 19.753, P < 0.001), and interaction effects (F = 36.830, P < 0.001) were observed. Improvements were noted in the locomotion, cognition, and vitality domains (P < 0.05), while no significant changes were found in psychological or sensory domains (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The nurse-led multidomain intervention effectively enhanced intrinsic capacity, particularly in locomotion, cognition, and vitality, but had limited impact on psychological and sensory domains. Further research is warranted to optimize intervention strategies for improving IC among community-dwelling older adults.