SynthesisJMIR human factors2025
Representation of Rural Older Adults in AI for Health Research: Systematic Literature Review.
Synthesis in JMIR human factors, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Older adults in rural communities face unique challenges, including geographic isolation, a shortage of health care providers, and limited access to specialized services. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising solution for improving health care access and delivery. However, concerns persist about equitable access and representation in these innovations, especially for marginalized populations where technological literacy and infrastructure may present additional barriers to effective use. Objective: This systematic literature review aims to: (1) identify existing literature on AI for health research focused on rural older adults, and (2) critically evaluate the identified literature to highlight gaps and inform the development of inclusive AI for health research and design practices. Methods: Between January 2024 and March 2025, we followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 Protocol to conduct a systematic search of health and computer science literature. We searched 7 databases (PubMed, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, PsycINFO, Web of Science, IEEE Explore, ACM Digital Library, and Scopus) to identify relevant research papers published between January 2013 and December 2023. We used predetermined search terms and built-in result limiters, including English language, human subjects, full text, and aged 65+. Publications were excluded if they were not empirical or did not include a focus on older adults, rural populations, or AI. The resulting data were reviewed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: A total of 23 papers comprised the final sample. The results showed that the representation of rural older adults in AI for health literature is limited. We identified three salient themes: (1) Numbers over Narratives: The Quantitative Focus in AI for Health Research on Older Adults, (2) Efficacy over Impact: Prevalence Clinical Outcomes in AI for Health Research, and (3) Deepening Disparities: Representation of Rurality Missing in AI for Health Research. These themes underscore the need for a more nuanced understanding of how AI for health research can be tailored to the specific needs of rural older populations. Conclusions: Our systematic analysis identified a robust body of research on AI for older adults. However, a critical gap emerged with a dearth of studies explicitly focusing on older adults in rural communities. This lack of representation raises concerns about the generalizability of findings and the potential for exacerbating existing health care disparities in rural areas. Future research should: (1) prioritize targeted recruitment strategies for rural older adult participants to ensure better representation in AI for health research; (2) develop community-based AI policies, practices, and products that reflect the specific needs and contexts of rural populations; and (3) explore solutions that address the limited representation of rural communities, ensuring that AI interventions are equitable, accessible, and beneficial for all.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.