Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40075452›Full record

SynthesisInternational journal for equity in health2025

Barriers to health, social and long-term care access among older adults: a systematic review of reviews.

Estela Cabañero-Garcia, Roberto Martinez-Lacoba, Isabel Pardo-Garcia, Elisa Amo-Saus

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal for equity in health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
40citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

40 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Observational
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Observational
  9. Equity in Uptake of NHS and Private Optometry Services in Wales by Age and Gender.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026
    Article
  10. Recruiting Sexual and Gender Minority Older Adults With and Without Dementia in Long-Term Care: Overcoming Barriers and Lessons Learned.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2026
    Article
  11. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Estela Cabañero-GarciaFacultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza de La Universidad 1, Albacete, 02071, Spain.
Roberto Martinez-LacobaFacultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza de La Universidad 1, Albacete, 02071, Spain. roberto.mlacoba@uclm.es.
Isabel Pardo-GarciaFacultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza de La Universidad 1, Albacete, 02071, Spain.
Elisa Amo-SausFacultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza de La Universidad 1, Albacete, 02071, Spain.

Funding

Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha SBPLY/21/ 180501/000066Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha 2022-GRIN-34431
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe aim of this study was to analyse the different barriers to accessing healthcare, social services and long-term care among older adults.

methodsA 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.

resultsSeventenn 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.

conclusionAdequate 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.

Indexed as

Health Services AccessibilityLong-Term CareSocial WorkAgedAged, 80 and overHumansSocioeconomic FactorsAccessBarrierCareHealth and social careOlder adultsSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40075452
PMCPMC11905592

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.