Reviews of available data on unmet needs for healthcare and social care among older people in the WHO Regions

The measurement, understanding and monitoring of unmet needs for healthcare and social care is important to accelerating global progress towards universal health coverage. WKC has so far conducted global research on unmet needs with a focus on the older population. As a next step, we are reviewing available data and information on unmet needs among older persons at the WHO Regional level.

To provide evidence-based assessments of the feasibility of measuring unmet healthcare and social care needs of older persons using available data and information at the WHO Regional level.

A competitively selected research team with expertise on the topic and familiarity with the geographic region has been assigned to each WHO Region to undertake a systematic literature review, survey mapping and, where possible, secondary analysis of available survey data for one or more countries in the assigned WHO Region. The research is being informed by prior WKC research involving a global systematic review and meta-analysis and secondary analysis of survey data covering 83 countries. The research teams are carrying out their research in consultation with the WKC responsible officer as well as a focal person from each WHO Regional Office. A research team has not been assigned to cover the WHO Region of the Americas based on discussions with their Health Systems and Services Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation specialist; instead, the office is directly providing WKC with the relevant information. On 10-11 June 2024, a technical meeting was held with all the research teams and focal persons from WHO Regional Offices and WHO headquarters, where progress on the research was discussed, among other things.

Meeting Report

Technical meeting on strengthening data on the unmet care needs of older persons: meeting report, Kobe, Japan, 10-11 June 2024. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/378976

Research Reports

• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO European Region: research report. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/381522
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO African Region: research report. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/381642
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO South-East Asia Region: research report. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/381778
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: research report. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/382154
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO Western Pacific Region: research report. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/382292 

Executive Summaries

• Cross-regional study of evidence gaps on unmet needs for health and social care. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/382469
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO European Region: executive summary. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/382315
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO African Region: executive summary. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/382312
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO South-East Asia Region: executive summary. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/382313
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: executive summary. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/382468
• Evidence gaps on unmet health and social care needs in the WHO Western Pacific Region: executive summary. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 (Monitoring universal health coverage in ageing populations). https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/382659