Population aging is a consistent global demographic trend. The growth in both the size and proportion of older adults has threatened the sustainability of health systems in meeting healthcare needs of the population. Countries in the Asia-Pacific Region may face even more complex health system challenges due to the diversity in culture, management and leadership styles, composition of health service provision, investment in research infrastructure and innovation adaptation, data availability, and gaps in information technology.
The Asia-Pacific is home to more than half of the world’s population and comprises countries across five Asia-Pacific subregions: East and North-East Asia, North and Central Asia, Pacific, South East Asia, South, and South West Asia. The economies are diverse, including six high-income countries (such as Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Singapore), low-income countries (Nepal and North Korea), and middle-income countries. The region also includes some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, including China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
The Asia-Pacific Region brings unique challenges to the care of older adults and health service management. High-income economies in the region have tackled aging and care services, with varying degrees of success. Developing economies in the region are witnessing a “seismic demographic shift”. By 2050, one in four of the Asian population will be 60 years or older. Undoubtedly the aging population is increasing in the developing world. A people-centric approach is essential in aging to strengthen relationships and improve outcomes. The aging population brings a range of challenges in managing chronic conditions, comorbidity, frailty, and issues such as integrated care, health workforce, care continuum, quality care, technology innovations, and funding. Interdisciplinary health workforce and home-based are services also emerging as important issues in the management of aging.
Co-design and co-creation: The Research Topic will be one of the first attempts to explore aged care and health service management issues in the Asia Pacific, especially with a country- or region-specific approach. We adopt an innovative editorial structure for co-design and co-creation by working collaboratively with key country-level experts on all stages of the Research Topic. Country-level experts, aided by the core editorial team and the journal team, will be well-positioned to reach out to policymakers, educational institutions, academics, and researchers working in the area of aged care and aged care management in different healthcare contexts. These experts were carefully chosen by the Topic Editors to represent leaders in the field across each of the regions of the Asia-Pacific.
For more details on the country/region level leaders please visit the
call for participation link with a detailed description.
Marketing and Dissemination: The Research Topic will be widely marketed in the Asia-Pacific Region through networks, organisations, and media channels. Special attention will be given to quality articles, which will be widely disseminated both using journal channels, and by the combined editorial team (including country/region level leads). News and media reports will be encouraged to disseminate quality research emerging from the Research Topic.
Scope for Research Topic: For this Research Topic, we specifically call for articles that discuss or conduct research in the Asia-Pacific Region. Our definition of the Asia-Pacific includes based on the
United Nations Economic and Social Commission’s classification. We welcome a wide range of articles including qualitative and quantitative original research articles, systematic reviews, case studies, commentaries, perspectives, as well as policy analyses. Articles that bring methodological rigor in the design, conduct, and analysis are encouraged.
Articles will need to tackle issues on the care of older adults or the management of older adult care planning and provision, and may cover residential care facilities, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, retirement homes, or independently living older adults. We will appreciate linkages to health policy, and especially towards health service management and leadership in the region.
Authors are welcome to contact the editorial team to discuss relevant aspects, including details of the country-level leads, of the Research Topic before submission.