Healthy Ageing in Low and Middle-Income Countries; A Systematic Scoping Review

Abstract

Healthy ageing is a new paradigm that describes the possibility of better ageing experience in contrast to the traditional notion of ageing. The aim of this scoping review was to map literature on healthy ageing in the context of low and middle-income countries (LMICs). A five-step scoping review procedure was used to synthesise the conceptualisation of healthy ageing and its measurement approach and to summarise key evidences on healthy ageing. Our descriptive summary analysis shows that the majority of the studies conceptualised healthy ageing under physical capabilities, cognitive functions, metabolic and physiological health and psychological well-being domains with more of objective measurement approach. We identified a number of studies that can be relevant to consider for public health policy. Future research should also focus on neurobiological ageing aspects as such studies were found to be very rare in the review. Our review identified that there is limited number of studies conducted in some LMICs where the growth of population ageing is an emerging concern.