Co-Creation and Co-Production of Health Promoting Activities Addressing Older People-A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Public Health
• Community Health and Well-being
• Social Sciences and Policy

Background:

• The global population is aging, necessitating effective strategies for promoting health and well-being in older adults.
• Co-creative and co-productive practices offer potential solutions to welfare challenges within local policies.
• Understanding the evidence base for these practices is crucial for developing effective interventions for the aging population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of co-creation and co-production in health-promoting activities for individuals aged 60 years and older.
• To examine the influence of these activities on the health and well-being of older adults.
• To identify factors that facilitate or hinder co-creative and co-productive processes.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted across ten scientific and five non-scientific databases.
• A total of 2648 studies were retrieved, with 18 articles ultimately included in the review.
• Inductive thematic content analysis was employed to analyze the selected literature.

Main Results:

• Three main categories of co-creative and co-productive activities were identified: 'Social and physical activities,' 'Development of age-friendly environments,' and 'Discussions of healthy and active aging.'
• Facilitating factors included well-planned and structured processes, and recognition of participants' time and resources.
• Barriers primarily involved challenges in participant recruitment and acknowledging their time and resource constraints.

Conclusions:

• Co-creative and co-productive approaches show promise for promoting health and well-being among older adults.
• Effective implementation hinges on strategic planning, process structure, and valuing participant contributions.
• Future research should focus on targeted interventions and understanding the nuances of co-creative relationships with older populations.