Function impairment is an early stage of disability in older adults and requires timely intervention. We have previously developed Function Impairment Screening Tool (FIST) based on the Delphi method, which has good reliability and validity, but the predictive effect is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to explore the role of FIST in predicting long-term mortality in community-dwelling older adults.

Data were from the Beijing Longitudinal Study of Aging. A total of 1,833 older adults with 8 years of follow-up were included. Function impairment was assessed using FIST. Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the predictive effect of FIST on 8-year all-cause mortality.

According to FIST, approximately half of the older adults had function impairment (47.6%). The prevalence of function impairment varied across populations. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, female, rural, poor health satisfaction, not drinking tea, and low Mini-Mental State Examination and intrinsic capacity score were associated with function impairment. Furthermore, function impairment was associated with poor physical function and high mortality. Cox analysis showed that FIST could predict 8-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.74–3.87), and this relationship persisted after adjusting for age, sex, area, marital status, live alone, educational level, smoking, drinking alcohol, and chronic diseases (HR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.45–2.17).

FIST can predict 8-year mortality in community-dwelling older adults. More attention should be paid to older adults with function impairment and early intervention should be provided.