{"title":"Barriers to health, social and long-term care access among older adults: a systematic review of reviews.","authors":"Estela Cabañero-Garcia, Roberto Martinez-Lacoba, Isabel Pardo-Garcia, Elisa Amo-Saus","doi":"10.1186/s12939-025-02429-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The aim of this study was to analyse the different barriers to accessing healthcare, social services and long-term care among older adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic review and narrative synthesis were conducted to analyse barriers to accessing healthcare, social care and long-term care services among older adults. We followed the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seventenn studies were included in the systematic review. Seven articles were systematic reviews, six were scoping reviews, two were literature reviews, one was a rapid review and the last one was an integrative review. The results show that the different types of barriers that hinder access to services for older adults are, on the demand side, socioeconomic factors; and on the supply side, geographical factors. Community factors and the digital divide are on both the supply and demand side. Interaction between barriers should be considered.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Adequate access to social and health services is crucial for the health and well-being of older adults and to guarantee equity in health. In summary, access to health services for older adults is determined by a heterogeneous interaction of these factors, on both the demand and supply side. Overcoming these barriers requires a comprehensive approach involving the collaboration of governments, healthcare providers, communities and older adults themselves.</p>","PeriodicalId":13745,"journal":{"name":"International Journal for Equity in Health","volume":"24 1","pages":"72"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11905592/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal for Equity in Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02429-y","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse the different barriers to accessing healthcare, social services and long-term care among older adults.
Methods: A systematic review and narrative synthesis were conducted to analyse barriers to accessing healthcare, social care and long-term care services among older adults. We followed the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.
Results: Seventenn studies were included in the systematic review. Seven articles were systematic reviews, six were scoping reviews, two were literature reviews, one was a rapid review and the last one was an integrative review. The results show that the different types of barriers that hinder access to services for older adults are, on the demand side, socioeconomic factors; and on the supply side, geographical factors. Community factors and the digital divide are on both the supply and demand side. Interaction between barriers should be considered.
Conclusion: Adequate access to social and health services is crucial for the health and well-being of older adults and to guarantee equity in health. In summary, access to health services for older adults is determined by a heterogeneous interaction of these factors, on both the demand and supply side. Overcoming these barriers requires a comprehensive approach involving the collaboration of governments, healthcare providers, communities and older adults themselves.
期刊介绍：
International Journal for Equity in Health is an Open Access, peer-reviewed, online journal presenting evidence relevant to the search for, and attainment of, equity in health across and within countries. International Journal for Equity in Health aims to improve the understanding of issues that influence the health of populations. This includes the discussion of political, policy-related, economic, social and health services-related influences, particularly with regard to systematic differences in distributions of one or more aspects of health in population groups defined demographically, geographically, or socially.
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