A Scoping Review of Income Support Programs Offered to Older Adults Living in South Asian Countries between 2000 and 2021

Abstract

Income support programs (ISPs) are important social policy measures to reduce the risk of poverty among older adults. Over the years, developing countries including South Asian countries have introduced various ISPs to support the older population. This scoping review will provide information on ISPs for older adults in South Asia and will map the evidence available on the impact of these programs. This scoping review uses the Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI) methodology. Older adults living in South Asia were included, and ISPs were considered as the “concept.” Eight electronic databases and organizational/governmental websites were searched for English language publications from January 2000 to May 2021. Four authors independently screened and extracted the data and analyzed it by descriptive statistics. A total of 115 studies provided information on ISPs for older adults and 25 on the impact of these programs. The identified studies covered all types of ISPs; however, government-sponsored or pillar 0 (ISP classification) programs were the most common. They also covered a vast spectrum of all types of study designs. The most common schemes are social pensions that work towards sustainable development goals (Goal 1.3) of social protection for all. Future research should focus on studying the impact of ISPs and expanding the ISPs for older adults in low-coverage countries.