Scoping study of definitions of social participation: update and co-construction of an interdisciplinary consensual definition.

BACKGROUND: considering the importance of social participation for quality of life and active ageing in older adults, it is an important target of social and health professionals' interventions. A previous review of definitions of social participation in older adults included articles up to 2009; new publications and changes in the social context (e.g. social media and the COVID-19 pandemic) justify continuing this work. OBJECTIVE: this paper provides an updated inventory and synthesis of definitions of social participation in older adults. Based on a critical review by content experts and knowledge users, a consensual definition is proposed. METHODS: using a scoping study framework, four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, AgeLine, PsycInfo) were searched with relevant keywords. Fifty-four new definitions were identified. Using content analysis, definitions were deconstructed as a function of who, how, what, where, with whom, when, and why dimensions. RESULTS: social participation definitions mostly focused on people's involvement in activities providing interactions with others in society or the community. According to this new synthesis and input from content experts and knowledge users, social participation can be defined as a person's involvement in activities providing interactions with others in community life and in important shared spaces, evolving according to available time and resources, and based on the societal context and what individuals want and is meaningful to them. CONCLUSION: a single definition may facilitate the study of active ageing and the contribution of older adults to society, socioeconomic and personal development, benefits for older adults and society, self-actualisation and goal attainment.

Scoping study of definitions and instruments measuring vulnerability in older adults.

BACKGROUND: It is important to foster social participation and health equity, especially for older adults in situations of vulnerability. Despite growing interest in vulnerability, there is no consensus regarding how to define or measure this concept. This paper provides an inventory and synthesis of definitions of and instruments measuring vulnerability in older adults. METHODS: Using a scoping study framework, eight databases (Abstracts in Social Gerontology, Academic Search Complete, AgeLine, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SocINDEX, PsycInfo, Scopus) were searched with relevant keywords [Vulnerab* AND (Concept*, Defin*, Meaning, Terminology, Measurement, Assessment*, Indicator*, Instrument*, Scale*, Questionnaire* OR Test*) AND (Aging, Aging, Elder*, Gerontolog*, Older OR Senior*)]. RESULTS: Thirty-one original definitions and five measuring instruments were identified, content-analyzed, and compared. Vulnerability definitions mostly focused on people under conditions that increased their risk of harm because of individual physical factors, the environment, and their interaction. Considering these definitions, experts in the field of aging, including two representing older adults, participated in a workshop, and a consensus was reached to define a situation of vulnerability as "a set of circumstances in which one or more individuals experience, at a specific moment in time, one or multiple physiological, psychological, socioeconomic or social difficulties that may interact to increase their risk of being harmed or having coping challenges that have a negative impact on their life." Although none of the measures fully targeted this definition, the Perceived Vulnerability Scale (PVS) is one of the most complete measures, with 22 items considering feelings of vulnerability toward personal and environmental factors, and good psychometric properties. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed definition and the PVS help to provide a common language and measure in health and social sciences research, policy and practice identifying and reaching older adults in situations of vulnerability and intervening to foster social participation and health equity.