Intrinsic Capacity
Definition
Intrinsic capacity is the combination of a person's physical and mental capacities, including abilities related to movement, cognition, vision, hearing, vitality, and psychological health. It is a core concept in the World Health Organization's healthy ageing framework and helps describe what a person can do from within, before considering the support or barriers provided by their environment. [1] [2] [3]
Why It Matters in Ageing Research
Intrinsic capacity matters because healthy ageing is not defined only by the absence of disease or by chronological age. Researchers and health systems use the concept to study declines in function, resilience, frailty, care needs, and quality of life across later life. It also connects biological ageing research with clinical and public-health outcomes, because preserving intrinsic capacity can help support functional ability and independence. [4] [5] [6]
Common Confusion
- Intrinsic capacity is not the same as functional ability; functional ability also depends on the environment and available support.
- Intrinsic capacity is broader than physical fitness because it includes cognitive, sensory, psychological, and vitality-related domains.
- Lower intrinsic capacity does not describe a single disease; it reflects capacity across multiple body and mind systems.
Related Reading
References
- World Health Organization. (2015). World report on ageing and health. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565042
- Beard, J. R., Officer, A., de Carvalho, I. A., et al. (2016). The World report on ageing and health: a policy framework for healthy ageing. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00516-4
- World Health Organization. (2017). Integrated care for older people: guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550109
- Cesari, M., Araujo de Carvalho, I., Amuthavalli Thiyagarajan, J., et al. (2018). Evidence for the Domains Supporting the Construct of Intrinsic Capacity. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/gly011
- Beard, J. R., Jotheeswaran, A. T., Cesari, M., & Araujo de Carvalho, I. (2019). The structure and predictive value of intrinsic capacity in a longitudinal study of ageing. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026119
- World Health Organization. (2020). Decade of healthy ageing: baseline report. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240017900
This glossary entry is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.