The interplay of poverty, communicable and non-communicable diseases among elderly: A literature review

¹ Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, State University of Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
² Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human and Health Sciences, Shunan University, Yamaguchi, Japan

^* Corresponding author: abyseptanto@unesa.ac.id

Abstract

The elderly with various health problems related to their conditions, including communicable and non-communicable diseases. Poverty is a major contributing factor to various health issues. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the knowledge based on old-age poverty by mapping recent empirical research related to the health status of older adults, particularly in the context of infectious and non-communicable diseases. Articles were retrieved from reputable databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria are peer-reviewed journal articles. The exclusion criteria comprised journal articles that were not available in full text or had limited access and studies involving animal experimentation. Elderly individuals living in poverty are susceptible to infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, influenza, malaria, and others. They are also at risk for non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular conditions, and related illnesses. Contributing factors include limited health knowledge, lifestyle behaviors, poor nutrition, and lack of family or social support. In Indonesia, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the most prevalent, often coexisting with impairments related to decreased functional ability in daily living activities. It is recommended to strengthen health promotion efforts targeting older adults living in poverty to help improve their health status.