Berbon Caroline

Toulouse University Hospital
France

Abstract Title: Implementation of Predictive Tools for Functional Decline in Clinical Practice: The WHO ICOPE program

Biography:

Caroline Berbon is nurse practitioner and researcher at IHU HealthAge of Toulouse Hospital. She earned her PhD in epidemiology in 2025. Her area of clinical and research expertise is the prevention of functional decline in older adults. She is currently contributing to major research projects in this field, particularly in the context of implementing the World Health Organization’s ICOPE program.

Research Interest:

In the context of population aging, preventing loss of independence has become a major public health priority. An individual’s intrinsic capacity (IC) evolves throughout life, and maintaining this IC (cognition, mobility, mood, nutrition, sensory) helps prevent functional decline. To address the challenge of dependency prevention, the WHO recommends the use of the ICOPE program, structured in four steps (screening, comprehensive assessment, care plan, and follow-up). This approach enables ongoing monitoring of IC within a positive framework focused on its preservation and on healthy aging. The objective of this study was to examine the implementation of this program—its feasibility, enabling factors, target population, and determinants of adherence—while providing practical insights for clinical practice. This descriptive and analytical observational study used data from the ICOPE MONITOR digital tools of Toulouse hospital, collected since January 1, 2020. The implementation analysis was conducted using the RE-AIM theoretical framework. The results had demonstrated that the ICOPE program could be implemented on a large scale in France. It could be used to monitor IC in specific populations, such as patients with hematologic malignancies. Self-assessment is primarily utilized by younger, robust older adults who are independent and able to use digital tools to monitor their IC. Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, played a key role in supporting the most vulnerable individuals and promoting adherence to the program. From a resource optimization perspective, when screening screening is abnormal, priority for the subsequent stages of the program may be given to patients with impairments identified in mobility and nutrition. This work was conducted using data from the largest ICOPE cohort in the world and provides findings that are applicable to routine clinical practice. It offers a pragmatic perspective on program implementation and should be further pursued alongside efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of ICOPE in France.