Background:

Independence is a widely used concept by the most practical areas of health knowledge, being essential to know its real meaning for subsequent application.

Method:

Scoping review based on the recommended principles by Joanna Briggs Institute and by the conceptual analysis method from Walker and Avant. Careful research was realized in the databases: Scopus, CINAHL complete, and MEDLINE. Two independent reviewers evaluate the relevance of the articles' understudy, the extraction, and article synthesis.

Results:

One hundred and two articles were included, after the application of the inclusion criteria. The majority of the authors define independence as the physical capacity for self-care and for the realization of the daily activities. Other authors, confuse independence with autonomy, referring to independence as the cognitive capacity, financial capacity, social capacity, and decision capacity.

Conclusions:

Independence includes the ability to perform self-care and daily living activities.

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