{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,7]],"date-time":"2026-08-07T15:14:16Z","timestamp":1786115656190,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":66,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,6]],"date-time":"2026-08-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785974400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"\n Introduction<\/jats:title>\n Healthy and positive aging are increasingly recognized in public health as multidimensional processes that integrate physical, psychological, and social resources to support autonomy, active engagement, and quality of life in later life. This systematic review synthesizes recent European evidence on psychosocial and socioeconomic determinants of healthy aging among older adults and contributes to the conceptualization of positive aging from a public health perspective.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase identified empirical studies published in English between 2019 and 2024. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies conducted in European populations and involving adults aged 65 years and older. Studies focused exclusively on individuals under 65 years of age, samples with conditions likely to distort the examined relationships (e.g., dementia or severe mental disorders), ethnic minority groups, non-European populations, non-English publications, and other systematic reviews were excluded. Studies that included participants aged 65 years and older alongside younger age groups were retained (n = 19; 52.7%). Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for quantitative studies and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist for qualitative designs, while two studies were evaluated using criteria consistent with the ROBINS-I framework. A narrative synthesis approach was applied.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Two overarching thematic clusters were identified: (1) psychosocial and economic determinants, including loneliness and social isolation, social support and social capital, socioeconomic status, autonomy and independence, and life-course context; and (2) social programs and community-based interventions. Across studies, consistent evidence highlighted the protective role of social networks, social integration, and reduced loneliness in shaping health, well-being, and cognitive functioning. Autonomy and independence emerged as central elements of positive aging, influencing perceived control, meaning in life, and overall quality of life, while engagement in social, physical, and occupational activities supported the maintenance of resources in later adulthood.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Discussion<\/jats:title>\n The findings underscore the need for public health policies and community environments that support positive aging through integrated physical, psychosocial, and social strategies. By emphasizing modifiable social determinants and contextual resources, this review advances the conceptual understanding of healthy aging and informs holistic, equity-oriented public health approaches for aging populations.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Systematic review registration<\/jats:title>\n \n https:\/\/osf.io\/ytgqw<\/jats:ext-link>\n ; doi:\n 10.17605\/OSF.IO\/YTGQW<\/jats:ext-link>\n .\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1858548","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,6]],"date-time":"2026-08-06T04:25:02Z","timestamp":1785990302000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Psychosocial and economic factors related to better health among older adults in Europe \u2013 a systematic review"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Agata","family":"Wypych-\u015alusarska","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia","place":["Katowice, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ewa","family":"Niewiadomska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia","place":["Katowice, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Klaudia","family":"Oleksiuk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia","place":["Katowice, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tilman","family":"Brand","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Social Epidemiology, Department Prevention and Evaluation, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (BIPS)","place":["Bremen, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","unstructured":"Roser\n M\n \n \n Twice as long \u2013 Life Expectancy Around the World\n \n 2018"},{"key":"B2","unstructured":"UN\n WPP\n \n \n Zijdeman\n HMD\n \n \n Riley\n JC\n \n \n Life Expectancy at Birth \u2013 Various Sources \u2013 Period Tables\n \n 2024"},{"key":"B3","unstructured":"United\n Nations\n \n \n Leaving No One Behind In An Aging World\n \n 2023"},{"key":"B4","unstructured":"Ageing Europe - Looking at the Lives of Older People in the EU\n \n 2020"},{"key":"B5","unstructured":"Global\n Burden\n \n \n I\n \n \n Healthy Life Expectancy\n \n 2024"},{"key":"B6","unstructured":"United\n Nations Development Programme\n \n \n Ageing, Older Persons and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development\n \n 2017"},{"key":"B7","unstructured":"Global Strategy and Action Plan on Aging and Health 2016\u20132020\n \n 2016"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archger.2019.01.002","article-title":"Before evening falls: perspectives of a good old age and healthy aging among oldest-old Swedish men","volume":"82","author":"Carstensen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Arch Gerontol Geriatr."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1007\/s40520-024-02703-z","article-title":"Psychosocial correlates of flourishing in the late lifespan","volume":"36","author":"Fastame","year":"2024","journal-title":"Aging Clin Exp Res."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"607","DOI":"10.1080\/08870446.2015.1026905","article-title":"Psychosocial factors in healthy aging","volume":"30","author":"McKee","year":"2015","journal-title":"Psychol Health."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-017-0632-2","article-title":"The impact of social activities, social networks, social support and social relationships on the cognitive functioning of healthy older adults: a systematic review","volume":"6","author":"Kelly","year":"2017","journal-title":"Syst Rev."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"397","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-024-01892-6","article-title":"The influence of resilience and social support on mental health of older adults living in community: a cross-sectional study","volume":"12","author":"Upasen","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Psychol."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1001\/jamainternmed.2021.6588","article-title":"Association of social support with functional outcomes in older adults who live alone","volume":"182","author":"Shah","year":"2022","journal-title":"JAMA Intern Med."},{"key":"B14","volume-title":"Active Ageing Index: A Legacy of the European Year 2012 for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. 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