A Scoping Review of Inclusive Best Practices in Geriatric Primary Care.

Abstract

The age of the United States is steadily increasing while the number of practicing and upcoming primary care physicians trained to provide geriatric care is limited. The US population is incredibly diverse, with minority ethnic groups anticipated to reach 50% of the US population over the next few decades. It is unclear how culture considerations are being integrated within primary care best practices, identifying a clear gap in our understanding and the literature. The current scoping review identified relevant publications regarding primary care best practices and the consideration of culture. Following Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) guidelines, two researchers completed two searches across databases for articles discussing best practices/culture considerations in primary care targeting geriatric populations. Seven articles were included for consideration in this review. Our findings indicate limited research has empirically investigated best practices or cultural considerations within geriatric primary care. Recommendations and future research are discussed.