Advancing Health Equity Through Geriatric Workforce Innovations in the United States and Globally: Addressing Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN)

Geriatric workforce innovations—including U.S.-based Geriatric Education Centers, Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Programs (GWEPs), and Age-Friendly Health Systems initiatives—have made significant contributions to improving health outcomes for older adults by integrating health-related social needs (HRSN) into clinical and community care. While many of these models originated in the United States, comparable initiatives across the globe similarly advance age-friendly, equity-focused care within diverse health systems, cultures, and socioeconomic contexts.Taken together, these U.S. and international efforts represent an emerging global learning ecosystem focused on transforming care for older adults through workforce development, cross-sector collaboration, and attention to social determinants of health (SDOH). The U.S. health system—widely recognized as high-cost, inequitable, and only moderately effective—offers both lessons learned and opportunities for mutual exchange with international models that have demonstrated strengths in equity, integration, and population health.This Research Topic highlights how geriatric workforce innovations in the United States and internationally have advanced health equity for older adults by embedding HRSN into clinical workflows, community-based programming, and cross-sector partnerships. Contributions may include comparative analyses, adaptations of international models within U.S. contexts, or examinations of how U.S.-based approaches have been informed by global best practices.Innovations span multiple global settings—including high-, middle-, and low-income countries—and involve collaborations with community organizations, public health agencies, tribal and indigenous communities, rural networks, and culturally diverse populations. Despite substantial innovation worldwide, the field lacks a cohesive, comparative body of literature that documents cross-national lessons, contextual adaptations, and transferable strategies for equity-focused geriatric care.Scope of the Research Topic:This Geriatric Workforce Innovations collection invites manuscripts that showcase program innovations, implementation experiences, and evaluation outcomes related to HRSN and health equity, with relevance to the United States and international health systems. To ensure alignment with the scope and goals of the issue, we require all authors to submit a brief two-paragraph summary of their proposed manuscript prior to full submission. This summary should outline the central focus, approach, and key contribution of the work. Following review of the summary, selected authors will be invited to submit a complete manuscript. Please be aware that we are unable to review full manuscripts that have not first received approval through the summary process.Submissions may address:• HRSN Identification and Integration: Development of screening workflows and integration of social needs data into clinical, community, or public health information systems across diverse national and international contexts.• Age-Friendly and Culturally Adapted Care Models: Implementation of 4Ms-aligned and age-friendly strategies, including adaptations across cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic environments, and comparisons between U.S. and non-U.S. settings.• Community and Cross-Sector Collaboration: Partnerships that strengthen referral systems, care coordination, and navigation within varying social, health, and policy infrastructures, including international comparisons.• Workforce Training and Capacity Building: Education and training models that prepare the geriatric workforce to address HRSN, including GWEPs and comparable international initiatives.• Equity-Focused Implementation and Evaluation: Methods for measuring impact, sustainability, and equity outcomes across different health systems and populations.• Policy, Financing, and System-Level Context: Analyses of how national policy environments shape workforce innovation, including lessons the U.S. can draw from international health service models and vice versa.Intended Contribution and International Relevance:This Research Topic positions the United States as an important but not exclusive reference point, emphasizing shared challenges and opportunities across countries. By fostering dialogue between U.S.-based and international scholarship, this collection aims to advance a globally relevant evidence base that supports health equity, workforce development, and system transformation for aging populations worldwide. Topic editors: Anna C Faul, Erin Emery-Tiburcio, Nancy A Pachana, Jennifer Jurado Severance Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76083/advancing-health-equity-through-geriatric-workforce-innovations-in-the-united-states-and-globally-addressing-health-related-social-needs-hrsn