The Impact of Cooperative Extension Programs on Late Life Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Rural-dwelling older adults have greater mental health disparities with higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to their urban counterparts; however, reaching these communities to understand and address the specific psychological needs of rural-dwelling older adults remains a barrier for gerontologists. Due to the extensive reach of the Cooperative Extension System, university Extension systems are primed to facilitate connections between researchers and rural communities to improve mental health outcomes for older adults. Despite the potential benefits of such partnerships, Extension is largely unknown and underutilized by gerontological researchers, leaving many older adults disconnected from resources available through land-grant universities that could improve their mental health outcomes. To better understand the benefits of such partnerships, we conducted a systematic review of gerontological articles that utilized Extension to reach and positively impact rural older adult mental health concerns. Using the published methods and results from 10 articles rendered from the systematic review process, we highlight the beneficial partnerships and characteristics important for collaborative relationships between researchers and Extension systems. This review will contribute to gerontological research by identifying an underutilized partnership that can benefit researchers, Extension systems, and the mental health outcomes of older adults.