How this fits in

Many primary care trials have tested the effectiveness of preventive, non-disease-specific approaches to older people’s care. Although interventions are typically complex, systematic reviews often report effects according to what is thought to be the intervention’s active ingredient. The current review used Cochrane taxonomies to comprehensively determine intervention components and examined subgroups. It found that preventive primary care interventions were beneficial to older people’s functional ability and self-rated health, but positive effects were not observed for other outcomes. Future programmes should consider delivering care in alternative settings, such as home visits and phone contacts, and providing education to patients and health professionals as these may contribute to positive outcomes.