TY - JOUR
AU - M. Sun
AU - J. Liu
AU - M. Yi
AU - S. Chen
AU - Y. Huang
AU - Y. I. Zhao
AU - A. Y. M. Leung
AU - Z. Wang
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: As populations age worldwide, primary health care systems face increasing challenges in addressing the complex health and social needs of older adults. Integrated care offers a promising approach to promote healthy ageing by providing coordinated, person-centred services across care settings. However, there is a lack of synthesised evidence on integrated care implementation in primary health care, which limits our understanding of its full potential. OBJECTIVE: To map how integrated care for older adults has been implemented in primary health care worldwide, identify the most scalable components, and highlight practice and policy implications for strengthening primary health care systems. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review to synthesise evidence on the implementation and outcomes of integrated care interventions for older adults in primary health care settings. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL for studies published in the past ten years. Eligible studies included interventional designs targeting individuals aged ≥60 years and implemented integrated care as defined by the WHO. Data were extracted and analysed using narrative synthesis and frequency analysis. RESULTS: A total of 181 studies across 26 countries were included. Most interventions were community- or primary health care-based, multidisciplinary (91%), and involved cross-sectoral integration (47%). Core components included care coordination/personalised care planning (67%), physical activity (40%), health education (38%), and psychosocial support (29%). Overall, 88% of studies reported positive outcomes, most often at the patient level. However, implementation outcomes such as acceptability (21%), feasibility (19%), and fidelity (9%) were inconsistently assessed. Evidence was dominated by high-income settings, with limited representation from low- and middle-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated care in primary health care shows broad potential to improve outcomes for older adults, particularly when built around care coordination, team-based delivery, and person-centred planning. Scalable models are those that use existing primary health care resources, integrate community health workers, and employ low-cost digital tools. Yet critical gaps remain in implementation fidelity, sustainability, and equity, especially in resource-limited settings. Embedding integrated care within quality improvement cycles can accelerate adoption and adaptation, offering a pathway for primary health care systems worldwide to promote healthy ageing.
AD - School of Nursing, Peking University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: smy6698@163.com.; School of Nursing, Peking University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: 2411210141@stu.pku.edu.cn.; School of Nursing, Peking University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: yimo1227@hotmail.com.; School of Nursing, Peking University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: 2503429915@qq.com.; School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Community Health Services, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. Electronic address: kitty.huang@polyu.edu.hk.; School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Community Health Services, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. Electronic address: yan-ivy.zhao@polyu.edu.hk.; School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Community Health Services, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. Electronic address: angela.ym.leung@polyu.edu.hk.; School of Nursing, Peking University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: wzwjing@sina.com.
AN - 41576784
BT - Int J Nurs Stud
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
DA - Apr
DO - 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105342
DP - NLM
ET - 20260114
JF - Int J Nurs Stud
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: As populations age worldwide, primary health care systems face increasing challenges in addressing the complex health and social needs of older adults. Integrated care offers a promising approach to promote healthy ageing by providing coordinated, person-centred services across care settings. However, there is a lack of synthesised evidence on integrated care implementation in primary health care, which limits our understanding of its full potential. OBJECTIVE: To map how integrated care for older adults has been implemented in primary health care worldwide, identify the most scalable components, and highlight practice and policy implications for strengthening primary health care systems. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review to synthesise evidence on the implementation and outcomes of integrated care interventions for older adults in primary health care settings. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL for studies published in the past ten years. Eligible studies included interventional designs targeting individuals aged ≥60 years and implemented integrated care as defined by the WHO. Data were extracted and analysed using narrative synthesis and frequency analysis. RESULTS: A total of 181 studies across 26 countries were included. Most interventions were community- or primary health care-based, multidisciplinary (91%), and involved cross-sectoral integration (47%). Core components included care coordination/personalised care planning (67%), physical activity (40%), health education (38%), and psychosocial support (29%). Overall, 88% of studies reported positive outcomes, most often at the patient level. However, implementation outcomes such as acceptability (21%), feasibility (19%), and fidelity (9%) were inconsistently assessed. Evidence was dominated by high-income settings, with limited representation from low- and middle-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated care in primary health care shows broad potential to improve outcomes for older adults, particularly when built around care coordination, team-based delivery, and person-centred planning. Scalable models are those that use existing primary health care resources, integrate community health workers, and employ low-cost digital tools. Yet critical gaps remain in implementation fidelity, sustainability, and equity, especially in resource-limited settings. Embedding integrated care within quality improvement cycles can accelerate adoption and adaptation, offering a pathway for primary health care systems worldwide to promote healthy ageing.
PY - 2026
SN - 0020-7489
SP - 105342
ST - Implementing integrated care for older adults in primary health care: A systematic scoping review
T1 - Implementing integrated care for older adults in primary health care: A systematic scoping review
T2 - Int J Nurs Stud
TI - Implementing integrated care for older adults in primary health care: A systematic scoping review
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105342
VL - 176
VO - 0020-7489
Y1 - 2026
ER -