Perfis sociodemográficos e de saúde das pessoas que envelhecem no contexto rural no Brasil: uma revisão de escopo

Abstract

Older adults living in rural areas generally maintain an active and productive lifestyle, despite facing significant challenges such as low educational attainment, limited income, and restricted access to basic services. This study mapped the main scientific evidence available on aging in rural Brazil. This is a scoping review that provides a comprehensive synthesis of the scientific evidence available on a specific topic. The methodological protocol followed the 22-item checklist outlined in the PRISMA-ScR 2020 guidelines. All search, screening, and data extraction procedures were conducted independently by two reviewers, using the Rayyan® platform to organize and classify the studies. A total of 314 studies were retrieved from the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, SciELO, Web of Science, Lilacs, and BVS databases. Of these, 114 were excluded during the title and abstract screening stage for not being directly related to the review topic. Subsequently, 35 additional studies were excluded for not meeting the eligibility criteria. In the end, 27 studies were selected for full-text review. Based on the evidence presented in this study, it can be concluded that the health of older adults living in rural areas of Brazil is shaped by multiple challenges influenced by socioeconomic, environmental, and structural factors. The high prevalence of chronic conditions—such as hypertension, diabetes, and mobility problems—combined with difficulties in accessing healthcare services, contributes to a scenario of vulnerability and functional limitations, significantly affecting the quality of life of this population.