About this Research Topic
With increasing age the individual risk of suffering from one or more diseases and health-related impairments grows, therefore population aging, as an increase in the number and proportion of older people, represents a major challenge for public health in western countries. This affects several areas of life, especially in the fields of public health and health care (e.g., rising demand for health care services and nursing care, prevention, etc.). In addition, living in ones own home as long as possible (aging in place) represents one of the challenges of population aging. The “baby boomer” generation are a unique aspect of population aging. In Germany, this generation is in the last third of its working life, retiring soon. Therefore, health care for baby boomers is a challenge when it comes to their earning capacity and the maintenance of qualified employees and their healthy aging.
This Research Topic is principally focused on the consequences of population aging for public health in different areas of life. The research questions to be investigated may focus on health, health care, and health-related living conditions of people in specific age groups (and thus to certain life-course phases). These can include older workers, seniors (65 years and older) and very old age group (80 years and older). We are interested in studies that address the consequences for utilization of outpatient and inpatient health care, informal and nursing care, aging in place, prevention among older persons, occupational health, and medical and occupational rehabilitation. The aim is to bring together the latest research findings, to connect them, and thus provide a comprehensive overview that goes beyond the individual life domains.
Topics should be:
• Analyses on age-related developments to curative and palliative outpatient and inpatient health care, their challenges as well as approaches to solutions;
• Analyses on nursing and informal care: current and future problems of nursing care, international comparisons of nursing systems especially in countries with a strongly aging population (Germany, Italy, Japan), and current and future problems for informal carers;
• Analyses on aging in place, e.g., on decreasing functional abilities or on the living environment (e.g. barriers, participation);
• Analyses on prevention and health promotion for older people (also active aging policies and initiatives implemented to this aim). These represent a particular challenge;
• Analyses on occupational health and rehabilitation with regard to population aging;
• Address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in all areas of life mentioned.
Original papers, reviews, and mini-reviews on the life domains mentioned above are expected. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies are welcome, especially those with a comparative approach. We encourage researchers to submit abstracts.
This Research Topic is principally focused on the consequences of population aging for public health in different areas of life. The research questions to be investigated may focus on health, health care, and health-related living conditions of people in specific age groups (and thus to certain life-course phases). These can include older workers, seniors (65 years and older) and very old age group (80 years and older). We are interested in studies that address the consequences for utilization of outpatient and inpatient health care, informal and nursing care, aging in place, prevention among older persons, occupational health, and medical and occupational rehabilitation. The aim is to bring together the latest research findings, to connect them, and thus provide a comprehensive overview that goes beyond the individual life domains.
Topics should be:
• Analyses on age-related developments to curative and palliative outpatient and inpatient health care, their challenges as well as approaches to solutions;
• Analyses on nursing and informal care: current and future problems of nursing care, international comparisons of nursing systems especially in countries with a strongly aging population (Germany, Italy, Japan), and current and future problems for informal carers;
• Analyses on aging in place, e.g., on decreasing functional abilities or on the living environment (e.g. barriers, participation);
• Analyses on prevention and health promotion for older people (also active aging policies and initiatives implemented to this aim). These represent a particular challenge;
• Analyses on occupational health and rehabilitation with regard to population aging;
• Address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in all areas of life mentioned.
Original papers, reviews, and mini-reviews on the life domains mentioned above are expected. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies are welcome, especially those with a comparative approach. We encourage researchers to submit abstracts.
Keywords: population aging, public health, utilization of health care, caring, aging in place, prevention, health promotion, occupational health, medical and occupational rehabilitation
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
