Gender disparities in accessing healthcare among older adults in the Southeast Asia: A scoping review

The inequalities in the healthcare system exist across the globe whereas these inequalities are prominent in the developing world, including countries in the WHO’s South-East Asia Region such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste(1). The region is currently experiencing a demographic shift towards an ageing population and it is one of the densely populated region in the world(2). The proportion of ageing population in this region is estimated to be 13.7 percent by 2030 and 20.3 percent by 2050. There is a lack of resources and infrastructure for the care of the older adult population which is evident in almost all countries in WHO SEARO region.(3) There remain challenges in providing adequate access to medical services both in urban and rural settings due to rapid ageing population, high costs of medications and medical services, shortage of healthcare professionals, and lack of resources to support familial caregiving.(4) Older adults are susceptible to various health issues, and their access to timely and adequate healthcare services significantly impact their overall well-being. Gender-based disparities can exacerbate existing health inequities and lead to differential health outcomes for older men and women in Southeast Asia.