https://doi.org/10.31011/reaid-2026-v.100-n.3-art.2859
Mariane Lurdes Predebon Losquiavo1
Mônica da Silva Santos2
Daiane Dal Pai3
1Enfermeira,
Doutoranda do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem na Universidade Federal
do Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Enfermagem e de Saúde Coletiva. Porto Alegre,
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1085-3034.
E-mail: predebon11@gmail.com.
2Enfermeira,
Mestranda do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem na Universidade Federal do
Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Enfermagem e de Saúde Coletiva. Porto Alegre, Rio
Grande do Sul, Brazil. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0686-9447. E-mail: enfmonicachieza@gmail.com.
3Enfermeira,
Professora Dra. associado da Escola de Enfermagem da UFRGS e Docente Permanente
do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem na Universidade Federal do Rio
Grande do Sul, Escola de Enfermagem e de Saúde Coletiva. Porto Alegre, Rio
Grande do Sul, Brazil. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6761-0415. E-mail: daiane.dalpai@gmail.com.
Corresponding Author
Mariane Lurdes Predebon Losquiavo
Rua Itapeva 362, ap.1204. CEP:91350-080,
Passo da Areia, Porto Alegre. Brazil. Phone: +55 (51) 980449689 E-mail:
predebon11@gmail.com
Submission: 08-07-2026
Approval: 14-09-2026
ABSTRACT
Objective: To
present a scoping review protocol aimed at mapping diverse scientific evidence
on factors associated with successful aging among health workers. Method:
The protocol has been registered in the Open Science Framework
(https://osf.io/3gwze) and will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
The review question was developed according to the PCC strategy: Which is the
available scientific evidence on factors associated with successful aging
(Concept) among health workers (Population and Context)? Studies published in
English, Spanish or Portuguese between 2016 and 2026 will be considered for
inclusion. Editorials, book chapters, experts' opinions, audiovisual materials,
studies with unavailable full texts and duplicate documents will be excluded.
The search strategies were designed with the assistance of a librarian
specialized in Health Sciences, and twelve databases relevant to the topic were
selected. Screening, selection and data extraction will be performed
independently and blindly by two reviewers, with the support of the Rayyan®
software. Any and all disagreements between he reviewers will be solved in a
consensus meeting, resorting to a third researcher if necessary. Data
presentation will follow the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews flowchart and
will be complemented by tables/charts and a descriptive analysis. This scoping
review is expected to provide evidence capable of supporting the development
and improvement of organizational practices and policies targeted at promoting
productive longevity and well-being among health workers.
Keywords: Healthy Aging;
Occupational Health; Working Conditions; Health Management; Scoping Review.
RESUMO
Objetivo:
Apresentar um protocolo de revisão de escopo para mapear evidências científicas
acerca de fatores associados ao envelhecimento bem-sucedido de trabalhadores da
saúde. Método: O protocolo está registrado na Open Science Framework
(https://osf.io/3gwze) e seguirá a metodologia do Joanna Briggs Institute.
A questão de revisão foi elaborada conforme a estratégia PCC: Quais são as
evidências científicas disponíveis sobre fatores associados ao envelhecimento
bem-sucedido (conceito) de trabalhadores da saúde (população e contexto)? Serão
considerados para inclusão estudos publicados em inglês, espanhol ou português,
no período entre 2016 e 2026, sendo excluídos editoriais, capítulos de livros,
opiniões de especialistas, materiais audiovisuais, texto completo indisponível
e documentos duplicados. As estratégias de busca foram desenhadas com apoio de
um bibliotecário da área de ciências da saúde, sendo definidas doze bases de
dados pertinentes à temática. A triagem, a seleção e a extração de dados serão
realizadas por dois pesquisadores independentes de forma cega, com o auxílio do
software Rayyan®. Conflitos entre os revisores serão resolvidos por
reunião de consenso e, se necessário, será acionado um terceiro pesquisador. A
apresentação dos dados seguirá o fluxograma PRISMA Extension for Scoping
Reviews, complementada por tabelas/quadros, e análise descritiva. Espera-se
que esta revisão de escopo contribua com evidências capazes de subsidiar a
formulação e o aprimoramento de práticas e políticas organizacionais voltadas à
promoção da longevidade produtiva e do bem-estar dos trabalhadores da saúde.
Palavras-chave: Envelhecimento
Saudável; Saúde Ocupacional; Condições de Trabalho; Gestão em Saúde;
Revisão de Escopo.
RESUMEN
Objetivo: Presentar un
protocolo de revisión de alcance destinado a mapear las evidencias científicas
sobre factores asociados al envejecimiento exitoso en trabajadores de la salud.
Método: El protocolo está registrado en Open Science Framework
(https://osf.io/3gwze) y seguirá la metodología del Joanna Briggs Institute.
La pregunta de revisión se elaboró de acuerdo con la estrategia PCC: ¿Cuáles
son las evidencias científicas disponibles sobre factores asociados al
envejecimiento exitoso (Concepto) en trabajadores de la salud (Población y
Contexto)? Se considerarán para inclusión estudios publicados en inglés,
español o portugués durante el período comprendido entre 2016 y 2026. Se
excluirán editoriales, capítulos de libros, opiniones de expertos, materiales
audiovisuales, textos completos no disponibles y documentos duplicados. Las
estrategias de búsqueda fueron diseñadas con el apoyo de un bibliotecario del
área de Ciencias de la Salud, definiéndose doce bases de datos pertinentes a la
temática. La selección, el cribado y la extracción de datos serán realizados de
forma independiente y ciega por dos investigadores, con el apoyo del programa
de software Rayyan®. Eventuales desacuerdos entre los revisores serán
resueltos mediante una reunión de consenso, consultando a un tercer
investigador si es necesario. La presentación de los datos seguirá el diagrama
de flujo PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews, complementada por
tablas/cuadros y análisis descriptivo. Se espera que esta revisión de alcance
aporte evidencias capaces de subsidiar la formulación y el perfeccionamiento de
prácticas y políticas organizacionales orientadas a promover la longevidad
productiva y el bienestar de los trabajadores de la salud.
Palabras clave: Envejecimiento
Saludable; Salud Laboral; Condiciones de Trabajo; Gestión en Salud;
Revisión de Alcance.
INTRODUÇÃO
Population aging is a global phenomenon
characterized by its accelerated and heterogeneous nature, concomitant to the
epidemiological transition. Altogether, these phenomena impose significant
challenges on society, especially in countries with fewer resources. In the
labor context, this scenario is expressed in a higher number of active older
workers with multiple chronic diseases. In Brazil, this trend is corroborated
by data from the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute pointing to an
approximate 70% increase in the active participation of individuals aged at
least 60 years old in the labor market during the 2012-2024 period(1).
The Decade of
Healthy Aging (2021-2030) was instituted in the 2020 United Nations General
Assembly, aiming to promote a more inclusive and fair society responsive to the
needs presented by individuals at any life phase(2). In the work
context, this initiative evidences the need to promote conditions that allow
workers to age in good health, maintaining their productivity levels and
preserving their functional capacity throughout their career path. Diverse
evidence indicates that functional decline can be intensified from the age of
45 due to absence of preventive interventions in work environments(3).
Therefore,
remaining active in the work world at older ages is influenced by individual
factors such as health conditions, by organizational and structural factors
such as working conditions and by social welfare policies, in addition to
pension requirements related to sustainability of Social Security systems(4).
In this sense, workforce aging emerges as a strategic priority that requires
combined actions from Government officials, employers, Occupational health
teams and workers themselves, aiming to promote healthy working conditions and
to favor sustainable career paths(5,6).
This scenario
becomes even more challenging in the health sector, which, in addition to
facing an ever increasing care demand, also experiences aging in its own
workforce(7). Health workers are exposed to high physical, cognitive
and emotional demands, including long working days, occupational risks and
continuous contact with pain and suffering. Such conditions can exert negative
impacts on health and work capacity over time(8-10).
Countries facing
population aging in an anticipated and structured way have already implemented
successful aging-at-work models(4,11). However, the Brazilian
reality is different. Successful aging at work is understood as a multidimensional
construct that involves physical, psychological, sociocultural, organizational
and environmental aspects related to preserving functional capacity,
productivity and well-being throughout a person's career path(12).
This definition reflects an expanded perspective about active aging,
considering career paths and workers' ability to remain productive(4).
A large volume of
studies focused on successful aging among community-dwelling older adults is
noticed in the literature, including surveys developed in the Brazilian context(13,14).
However, the volume of scientific productions focused on the occupational
context is lower, specifically among health workers. In fact, in a preliminary
search conducted in April 2026 on the Open Science Framework (OSF)
and PROSPERO platforms, no scoping or systematic review protocols were
identified specifically synthesizing all the evidence on factors associated
with successful aging, evidencing a knowledge gap.
Considering the
broad and heterogeneous nature of the diverse evidence available, it is
reasonable to conduct a scoping review to map the scientific production on the
topic. Mapping these data may come to assist Occupational Health teams and
managers in devising more precise intervention policies and programs, targeting
actions that promote productive longevity and well-being among health workers.
The objective of
this manuscript is to present a scoping review protocol to map diverse
scientific evidence about factors associated with successful aging among health
workers.
METHODS
This scoping
review protocol was prepared according to the Joanna Briggs
Institute (JBI) recommendations(15) and shall be reported
according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-ScR)
checklist(16). The scoping review format was adopted because it
enables mapping and synthesizing the scientific production on a given topic,
especially when there is scarce material explored, in addition to allowing
identifying gaps in current knowledge(17). The protocol has been
registered on OSF under Digital Object
Identifier (DOI) 10.17605/OSF.IO/G83RU.
Review
question
The research
question was prepared based on the PCC (Population, Concept and Context)
strategy, as recommended by the JBI: P- Formal health workers; C- Successful
aging at work; and C- Formal work in the Health sector across different
countries and geographical contexts.
Consequently, the
following guiding question was defined: Which is the scientific evidence on
factors associated with successful aging among health workers?
Population
Studies addressing
formal health workers will be included. In turn, studies conducted with
informal/voluntary workers or from other sectors will be excluded.
Concept
Aging can be
described with different terms, such as “healthy aging”, “successful aging”,
“active aging” and “productive aging”, which (although different) converge when
acknowledging old age as a life cycle phase that can be experienced in a
healthy way, enjoying vitality and quality of life(18).
The concept of
“successful aging at work” is adopted in the current study, understood as a
multidimensional phenomenon involving physical, psychological, sociocultural,
organizational and environmental aspects and related to preserving functional
capacity, productivity and well-being throughout a person's career path(4,12,19).
Context
The context refers
to formal work in the Health area, encompassing different countries and
geographical contexts.
Eligibility
criteria
The materials to
be included in the review shall be studies answering the research question and
meeting the criteria established according to their population, concept and
context. The time clipping will encompass the 2016-2026 period with the
objective of including the phase marked by the significant increase in the
number of older workers and by the consequent need to develop intervention
strategies(1). As for the types of evidence sources, peer-reviewed
scientific publications, systematic or scoping reviews and empirical studies
will be considered. Editorials, book chapters, experts' opinions, audiovisual
materials, other productions from the Grey Literature, duplicate documents and
studies with unavailable full texts after due attempts to contact the authors
will be excluded.
Search
strategy
The search
strategy was developed with the assistance of a librarian specialized in the
Health Sciences area, aiming to ensure sensitivity and specifity when
identifying the studies. Controlled descriptors (DeCS/MeSH) and free terms
related to the main conceptual axes according to the study will be used. The
full search strategies for each database are presented in Chart 1 below.
The strategies
will be adapted according to the specific syntax corresponding to each database
and to their respective controlled vocabularies (MeSH, DeCS, Emtree and CINAHL
Headings).
In order to ensure
a comprehensive approach, the studies will be selected from different
databases: Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde
(LILACS); Base de Dados de Enfermagem (BDEnf); Biblioteca Virtual em
Saúde (BVS); Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO); Scopus;
PUBMED/Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE);
Web of Science; Índice Bibliográfico Español de Ciencias de la Salud (IBECS);
Embase; Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL);
and EBSCO.
Selection
of studies
The selection
process will be in charge of two independent and blinded reviewers that will
work in the Rayyan software program(20). As a first step, the
records retrieved from the databases will be imported into Rayyan, where
duplicates will be automatically detected, checked by the reviewers and removed
after confirming duplicity. Subsequently, the materials will be screened by
reading their titles and abstracts. All potentially eligible studies will be
assessed in full.
The studies
included will be those meeting the eligibility criteria and answering the
research question. Any and all disagreements between the reviewers will be
solved by consensus or by resorting to a third reviewer.
The selection
process shall be presented as a flowchart, according to the PRISMA-ScR
recommendations.
Data
extraction
Data extraction
and management will be in charge of two independent reviewers, who will use a
previously prepared spreadsheet form. Data referring to identification of the
studies (title, authors, publication year, journal, country and language) will
be collected, as well as to methodological characteristics (objective, design,
population, concept and context) and to the main findings (results, factors
associated with successful aging, limitations and conclusions).
The data
extraction instrument may be adjusted throughout the process as necessary, duly
recording all changes in the scoping review. Any and all disagreements between
the reviewers will be solved by consensus or by resorting to a third reviewer.
Data
analysis and presentation
The data will be
analyzed descriptively, based on a synthesis of all the information extracted
from the studies included. The selection process shall be presented by means of
a flowchart, according to the PRISMA-ScR recommendations(16).
The results shall
be presented as a synthesis through tables, charts and figures organized into
thematic categories related to the factors associated with successful aging at
work.
Ethics
and disclosing
For being a
scoping review protocol grounded in the analysis and synthesis of diverse
evidence from previously published and publicly available studies, it waives
appraisal by any Research Ethics committee. The research development and
presentation of the results stages will follow the JBI and PRISMA-ScR
methodological recommendations. The review results will be disclosed in an
open-access and peer-reviewed scientific journal, in addition to presenting
them in academic/scientific events in the health area.
EXPECTED
RESULTS
It is expected
that this review will contribute to Occupational Health workers' performance by
supporting decision-making and qualifying practices in the work context, in
addition to supporting scientific research studies in this area. In the Public
Health scope, the results shall be in consonance with the Unified Health System
guidelines, especially regarding workers' health promotion. They may also favor
devising more inclusive work environments aligned to the requirements arising
from workforce aging.
REFERENCES
1.
IBGE. Trabalho e rendimento. In: IBGE. Anuário Estatístico do Brasil
2024. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE; 2024. Disponível em:
https://anuario.ibge.gov.br/2024/caracteristicas-da-populacao/trabalho-e-rendimento.html
2.
Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde (OPAS). Década do envelhecimento
saudável nas Américas (2021-2030). Washington (DC): OPAS; 2026 [citado 2026
maio 01]. Disponível em:
https://www.paho.org/pt/decada-do-envelhecimento-saudavel-nas-americas-2021-2030.
3.
World Health Organization. Aging and working capacity: report of a WHO
study group. Geneva: WHO; 1993. (WHO Technical Report Series; 835) [citado 2026
maio 01]. Disponível em: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/36979.
4.
Petery GA, Iles LJ, Parker SK. Putting successful aging into context. Ind Organ
Psychol. 2020;13(3):377-382. https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2020.69.
5.
Aitken A. Navigating the golden years: making the labour market work
for older workers. In: OECD. OECD Employment Outlook 2025: can we get through
the demographic crunch? Paris: OECD Publishing; 2025.
6.
European Agency For Safety And Health At Work. Healthy workplaces for all
ages: promoting sustainable working life. Luxembourg: EU-OSHA; 2016 [cited 2026
set 08]. Disponível em:
https://osha.europa.eu/en/tools-and-resources/e-guides/e-guide-all-age
7.
Kurashvili M, Reinhold K, Järvis M. Managing an ageing healthcare
workforce: a systematic literature review. J Health Organ Manag.
2023;37(1):116-132. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-11-2021-0411.
8.
Sousa CC, Araújo TM, Lua I, Gomes MR, Freitas KS. Insatisfação com o
trabalho, aspectos psicossociais, satisfação pessoal e saúde mental de
trabalhadores e trabalhadoras da saúde. Cad Saude Publica [Internet].
2021;37(7):e00246320. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311X00246320.
9.
Pereira CS. Estresse no ambiente de trabalho de profissionais de saúde:
causas e remanejamento. Int Integralize Sci. 2025.
https://doi.org/10.63391/mc8y6v58.
10.
Nigam JAS, Barker R, Cunningham TJ, Swanson NG, Chosewood LC. Vital
signs: health worker-perceived working conditions and symptoms of poor mental
health—Quality of Worklife Survey, United States, 2018-2022. MMWR Morb Mortal
Wkly Rep. 2023;72(44):1197-1205. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7244e1
11.
Kooij DTAM. Successful aging at work: the active role of employees. Work
Aging Retire. 2015;1(4):309-319. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/wav018.
12.
Robson SM, Hansson RO, Abalos A, Booth M. Successful aging: criteria for
aging well in the workplace. J Career Dev. 2006;33(2):156-177.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845.
13.
Neri AL, Yassuda MS, Araújo LF, Eulálio MC, Cabral BE, Siqueira MEC, et al.
Metodologia e perfil sociodemográfico, cognitivo e de fragilidade de idosos
comunitários de sete cidades brasileiras: Estudo FIBRA. Cad Saude Publica.
2013;29(4):778-792. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-311X2013000400015.
14.
Vieira RA, Guerra RO, Giacomin KC, Vasconcelos KSS, Andrade ACS, Pereira
LSM, Dias JMD, Dias RC. Prevalência de fragilidade e fatores associados em
idosos comunitários de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil: dados do estudo
FIBRA. Cad Saude Publica. 2013;29(8):1631-1643. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311X00126312.
15.
Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, McInerney P, Munn Z, Tricco AC, Khalil H. Chapter
11: Scoping reviews (2020 version). In: Aromataris E, Munn Z, editors. JBI
Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Adelaide: JBI; 2020. https://doi.org/10.46658/JBIMES-20-12.
16.
Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O'Brien KK, Colquhoun H, Levac D, et al.
PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation.
Ann Intern Med. 2018;169(7):467-473. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850.
17.
Arksey H, O'Malley L. Scoping studies: towards a methodological
framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19-32.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616.
18.
Fonseca SC, organizadora. O envelhecimento ativo e seus fundamentos. São
Paulo: Portal Edições; 2016. ISBN: 978-85-69350-07-1.
19.
Silva-Sauer L, Coutinho Neto AL, Malagueta GLL, Fernández-Calvo B.
Envelhecimento bem-sucedido: um constructo biopsicossocial. In: Longevidade:
caminhada para o envelhecimento. Innovate; 2022. p. 220-244.
20.
Ouzzani M, Hammady H, Fedorowicz Z, Elmagarmid A. Rayyan—a web and mobile
app for systematic reviews. Syst Rev. 2016;5(1):210.
Funding and Acknowledgments
This paper was
carried out with the support of the Coordination Office for the Improvement of
Higher Education Personnel (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de
Nível Superior, CAPES) - Brazil: Funding Code 001.
We
would like to thank Rubens da Costa Silva Filho, librarian and researcher at
the Nursing School belonging to Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul,
for his precise contributions to developing this scoping review protocol.
Conflict
of interests
The authors declare no conflict of
interests.
Data availability
statement
No datasets were generated in this
study. The information presented is described in the body of the article.
Use
of artificial intelligence
An
artificial intelligence tool (ChatGPT) was used to assist with text revision
and writing enhancement.
Authorship
criteria (author contributions)
Mariane
Lurdes Predebon Losquiavo, Mônica da Silva Santos, and Daiane Dal Pai
contributed substantially to the study's conception and design; data
acquisition, analysis, and interpretation; and the drafting and critical
revision of the manuscript; they also approved the final version to be published.
Scientific
Editor: Ítalo Arão Pereira Ribeiro. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0778-1447
Rev
Enferm Atual In Derme 2026;100(3): e026098
