Mohd Tohit Nor Faiza, Haque Mainul
Department of Community Health, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (National University of Defence Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur, MYS.
Department of Research, Karnavati Scientific Research Center (KSRC) School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, IND.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 31;16(7):e65896. doi: 10.7759/cureus.65896. eCollection 2024 Jul.
The intersection of gerontology and public health is increasingly vital due to the global aging population and its implications for health systems. This scoping review aims to map existing literature on gerontology within public health, identify current perspectives, and evaluate interventions tailored to the needs of older adults. A systematic search was performed using predefined keywords across multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. The review included 42 studies that employed various designs, all focusing on public health interventions targeting the aging population. Key findings indicate a pressing need to integrate gerontological principles into public health practice, recognizing the heterogeneous nature of older adults and the significance of social determinants of health. Interventions ranged from preventive health measures and chronic disease management programs to health promotion activities and caregiver support, including the application of technology to improve health outcomes. However, there was a notable lack of research on diverse populations and mental health interventions. The review also uncovered critical gaps in the literature, such as economic barriers to care access and the necessity for comprehensive policies addressing the aging population's diverse needs. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the importance of a multidimensional approach to effectively addressing older adults' health needs. While several effective interventions exist, there is an urgent need to tackle identified gaps, particularly concerning diverse populations and mental health, to enhance overall health strategies for the aging demographic.
由于全球人口老龄化及其对卫生系统的影响，老年医学与公共卫生的交叉领域变得越来越重要。本范围综述旨在梳理公共卫生领域内有关老年医学的现有文献，确定当前观点，并评估针对老年人需求的干预措施。使用预定义关键词在多个数据库（包括PubMed、谷歌学术、Scopus和科学网）中进行了系统检索。该综述纳入了42项采用各种设计的研究，所有研究都聚焦于针对老年人口的公共卫生干预措施。主要研究结果表明，迫切需要将老年医学原则纳入公共卫生实践，认识到老年人的异质性以及健康的社会决定因素的重要性。干预措施包括预防性健康措施、慢性病管理项目、健康促进活动和照顾者支持，包括应用技术改善健康结果。然而，对于不同人群和心理健康干预措施的研究明显不足。该综述还发现了文献中的关键空白，如获得护理的经济障碍以及制定全面政策以满足老年人口多样化需求的必要性。总之，本综述强调了采用多维度方法有效满足老年人健康需求的重要性。虽然存在一些有效的干预措施，但迫切需要解决已发现的空白，特别是关于不同人群和心理健康方面的空白，以加强针对老年人口的整体健康战略。
