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Healthcare needs of older people in humanitarian settings | Collections | MSF Science Portal

Globally, the number of older people is rapidly increasing, with those aged 60+ expected to more than double by 2050—yet in humanitarian crises, they remain one of the most neglected groups. Older adults often face higher risks due to chronic illnesses, mobility issues, and limited access to appropriate care, especially in low-resource or emergency settings. Despite these needs, humanitarian responses rarely prioritize them, and data on their health and mortality are often lacking.


This collection reflects MSF’s ongoing examination of its own data and practices to identify pathways toward more age-inclusive services in humanitarian crises. It includes analysis of data from MSF-supported mental health services, inpatient departments, and sexual violence services, and further offers several calls to action and reflections on why older people remain overlooked in humanitarian crises. However, MSF also acknowledges major challenges remain, including inadequate age-inclusive services, data gaps, and the need for more geriatric expertise.


Watch this space for more publications from a Lancet Healthy Longevity series on healthcare rights and needs of older people.


Collection Content

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ASTMH Annual Meeting 2024
ASTMH Annual Meeting 2024

The American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting is an international forum for the exchange of scientific and clinical advances in tropical medicine, hygiene and global health. The scientific content this year is 53% microbe focused, 15% clinically focused, 13% vector focused, 13% globally focused, and 6% intervention focused.

MSF and Epicentre are presenting on access and other challenges for children with visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, hurdles in malaria diagnostic testing, and ensuring equitable access to healthcare in conversations about financial sustainability.

This collection features research authored by the presenters and other topics highlighted at ASTMH.

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World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021
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The climate crisis and health in humanitarian settings
The climate crisis and health in humanitarian settings
The climate crisis is also a health and humanitarian crisis, disproportionately impacting people in the world’s most climate-sensitive regions—mainly low- and low-middle income countries with the least capacity to respond. MSF and other humanitarian organizations witness the consequences daily. More frequent, intense weather events and a warming planet contribute to food and water scarcity, more severe and widespread disease outbreaks, and more injuries and preventable deaths. They also drive massive population displacement, with over 32 million people fleeing their homes in 2022 alone due to floods, drought, storms and fire—nearly triple the number displaced by violence and conflict. To mark Earth Day 2024 (22 April) we present a cross-section of work by MSF and collaborators, drawing from a range of data sources and from first-hand experience at our medical projects. Emphasizing the urgency of adapting humanitarian operations to the climate crisis, the collection also explores loss and damage through a health lens, proposes policies and practices for creating climate-resilient health organizations, and advocates for embedding fair, just ethics perspectives into humanitarian action and research on climate.
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Journal Article
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Research

Health conditions of older adults in complex humanitarian settings in low- and middle-income countries: a retrospective analysis of 2019–2025 data from Médecins Sans Frontières-supported inpatient departments

van Boetzelaer E, Keating P, Caleo G, Oluyide B, Masum RR,  et al.
2025-11-01 • BMJ Global Health
2025-11-01 • BMJ Global Health

BACKGROUND

Inpatient admissions of older adults in humanitarian settings in low-income and middle-income countries remain poorly documented, likely leading to g...

Journal Blog
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Perspective

Symposium on ageing in crisis: Advancing the overlooked healthcare rights and needs of older people in humanitarian crises

van Boetzelaer E
2025-10-29
2025-10-29
Healthcare needs of older people in humanitarian settings

Healthcare needs of older people in humanitarian settings

Journal Article
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Research

Differences in sexual violence against younger and older adults in complex humanitarian settings: a retrospective analysis from Médecins Sans Frontières in 2019–24

Van Boetzelaer E, Biru T, Idris A, Keating P, Staunton M,  et al.
2025-10-16 • Lancet Global Health
2025-10-16 • Lancet Global Health

BACKGROUND

Sexual violence against older adults in humanitarian settings is poorly documented, leading to gaps in prevention and delivery of support services. T...

Journal Article
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Research

Differences in mental health between younger and older adults in complex humanitarian settings in low-income and middle-income countries: retrospective analysis from Médecins Sans Frontières-supported mental health services, 2019–2024

van Boetzelaer E, Sleit R, Rodriguez E, Kagomba Barathi G, Escobio F,  et al.
2025-09-26 • BMJ Global Health
2025-09-26 • BMJ Global Health

BACKGROUND

Humanitarian emergencies increase the risk of development or exacerbation of mental health conditions. This study documents how mental health differs...

Journal Article
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Research

Mental health of older adults in humanitarian settings in low- and middle-income countries: a retrospective analysis from Médecins sans Frontières-supported mental health services, 2019–2024

van Boetzelaer E, Keating P, Wasara N, Rodriguez E, Escobio F,  et al.
2025-07-05 • BMJ Global Health
2025-07-05 • BMJ Global Health

BACKGROUND

More complex humanitarian emergencies have a profound impact on a rapidly growing ageing population. There are few data available on the mental healt...

Journal Article
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Review

Health needs of older people and age-inclusive health care in humanitarian emergencies in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review

van Boetzelaer E, Rathod L, Keating P, Pellecchia U, Sharma S,  et al.
2024-12-30 • The Lancet Healthy Longevity
2024-12-30 • The Lancet Healthy Longevity
Journal Article
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Commentary

Involving older people in the preparedness, response, and recovery phases in humanitarian emergencies: a theoretical framework on ageism, epistemic injustice, and participation

van Boetzelaer E, van de Kamp J, Keating P, Sharma SK, Pellecchia U,  et al.
2024-01-01 • The Lancet Healthy Longevity
2024-01-01 • The Lancet Healthy Longevity
Journal Article
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Letter

The disproportionate vulnerability of older people in humanitarian emergencies

van Boetzelaer E, Franco OH, Moussally K, Khammash U, Escobio F
2023-10-20 • Lancet
2023-10-20 • Lancet
Journal Article
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Commentary

Elderly people in humanitarian crises, a forgotten population: A call for action

van Boetzelaer E, Browne JL, Vaid S, Pellecchia U, van de Kamp J,  et al.
2023-07-17 • PLOS Global Public Health
2023-07-17 • PLOS Global Public Health
Journal Blog
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Perspective

Conflict in eastern Ukraine is a reminder that older people are especially vulnerable in emergencies

Simonyan G
2019-06-04 • BMJ Opinion (blog)
2019-06-04 • BMJ Opinion (blog)
Journal Article
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Commentary

Ending neglect of older people in the response to humanitarian emergencies

Karunakara U, Stevenson F
2012-12-18 • PLOS Medicine
2012-12-18 • PLOS Medicine