Envejecimiento saludable en adultos mayores a través de la transmisión de saberes: revisión sistemática cualitativa
Healthy aging in older adults through the transmission of knowledge: a qualitative systematic reviewBarra lateral del artículo
Contenido principal del artículo
Introducción: El envejecimiento saludable es prioridad sanitaria y la transmisión de saberes ofrece una vía para promoverlo. Objetivo: Analizar cómo la literatura científica ha conceptualizado la transmisión activa de saberes en adultos mayores y qué evidencia existe sobre su relación con el envejecimiento saludable en contextos comunitarios e institucionales. Método: Revisión sistemática cualitativa con síntesis temática, siguiendo PRISMA 2020, a partir de búsquedas en Web of Science y Scopus (2010-2025). Se incluyeron estudios empíricos con adultos de 60 años o más. Resultados: Los 15 estudios incluidos describen la transmisión de saberes como un proceso generativo y relacional que se ejerce a través de prácticas tradicionales y digitales, y se asocia con bienestar emocional, salud mental, sentido de propósito y participación social. La evidencia cualitativa es sólida; la relativa a efectos proviene mayormente de estudios piloto con muestras pequeñas. El acceso no es equitativo: condiciones económicas, tecnológicas, geográficas y de salud determinan quién participa y quién queda fuera. Conclusión: Transmitir saberes puede favorecer el envejecimiento saludable, pero solo si va acompañado de diseños inclusivos que reduzcan las barreras de participación.
Introduction: Healthy aging is a public health priority, and knowledge transmission offers a pathway to promote it. Objective: To analyze how the scientific literature has conceptualized the active transmission of knowledge among older adults and what evidence exists regarding its relationship with healthy aging in community and institutional settings. Method: A qualitative systematic review with thematic synthesis was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, based on searches in Web of Science and Scopus (2010-2025). Empirical studies involving adults aged 60 years or older were included. Results: The 15 included studies describe knowledge transmission as a generative and relational process enacted through traditional and digital practices and associated with emotional well-being, mental health, sense of purpose, and social participation. Qualitative evidence is robust, whereas evidence concerning effects comes predominantly from pilot studies with small samples. Access is not equitable: economic, technological, geographical, and health-related conditions determine who participates and who is excluded. Conclusion: Knowledge transmission may contribute to healthy aging, but only when accompanied by inclusive designs that reduce barriers to participation.
Descargas
Detalles del artículo
Bartlett, S. P., Solomon, P., & Gellis, Z. (2021). Comparative effectiveness of intergenerational service-learning programs on student outcomes of knowledge, attitude, and ageism. Educational Gerontology, 47(12), 559–573. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2021.2011596
Dhavernas, C., & Williams, C. (2022). A Buddhist biography project: Story-telling, spiritual connection, and intergenerational exchange. Religions, 13(7), 576. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13070576
Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and society. W. W. Norton. https://archive.org/details/childhoodsociety200erik
Ho, A. H. Y., Ma, S. H. X., Tan, M. K. B., & Bajpai, R. C. (2021). A randomized waitlist-controlled trial of an intergenerational arts and heritage-based intervention in Singapore: Project ARTISAN. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 730709. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.730709
Justo-Henriques, S. I. (2022). “Age XXL”: Activities and impact of the intergenerational and inclusive project in the school community, prisoners and the elderly’s perception. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 20(4), 476–492. https://doi.org/10.1080/15350770.2021.1906821
Kay, J. (2024). “I will stitch it back and pass it down”: A Bai elder makes and teaches Buzha. Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics, 18(2), 152–172. https://doi.org/10.2478/jef-2024-0024
Kim, J., & Lee, J. (2018). Intergenerational program for nursing home residents and adolescents in Korea. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(1), 32–41. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20170908-03
Krok-Schoen, J. L., Clutter, J. E., Handra, A., Paoletta, C., Young, D., Miller, R., Orbovich, A., & Feyh, L. (2025). ARts Through Intergenerational Social Engagement (ARISE) Program. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships. https://doi.org/10.1080/15350770.2025.2531203
Lee, L. Z. Y., Den Dulk, T., Silver, M., & Bhar, S. (2025). Feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of an intergenerational digital storytelling program for improving identity validation and generativity in older adults. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 44(2), e70021. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.70021
Lewis, J. P., & Allen, J. (2017). Alaska Native elders in recovery: Linkages between Indigenous cultural generativity and sobriety to promote successful aging. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 32(2), 209–222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-017-9314-8
Mackell, P., Squires, K., Fraser, S., Cecil, J., Meredith, M., Malay, R., Lindeman, M. A., Schmidt, C., Batchelor, F., & Dow, B. (2022). Art centres supporting our Elders – “old people, that’s where our strength comes from” – results from a national survey of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled art centres. Rural and Remote Health, 22(2), 6850. https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH6850
McAdams, D. P., & de St. Aubin, E. (1992). A theory of generativity and its assessment through self-report, behavioral acts, and narrative themes in autobiography. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62(6), 1003–1015. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.62.6.1003
Nainee, S., Mohd Hashim, I. H., & Mohamad Yusof, M. (2023). Generativity and subjective wellbeing of Malaysian old adults: The role of gender and living arrangement. SAGE Open, 13(4), 21582440231204100. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231204100
Newton, N. J., Chauhan, P. K., & Pates, J. L. (2020). Facing the future: Generativity, stagnation, intended legacies, and well-being in later life. Journal of Adult Development, 27(1), 70–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-019-09330-3
Ng, R., & Indran, N. (2023). Granfluencers on TikTok: Factors linked to positive self-portrayals of older adults on social media. PLOS ONE, 18(2), e0280281. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280281
Oetzel, J. G., Zhang, Y., Nock, S., Meha, P., Huriwaka, H., Vercoe, M., Tahu, T., Urlich, J., Warbrick, R., Brown, G., Keown, S., Rewi, P., Erueti, B., Warbrick, I., Jackson, A. M., Perry, T., Reddy, R., Simpson, M. L., Cameron, M. P., & Hokowhitu, B. (2023). Enhancing health outcomes for Māori elders through an intergenerational cultural exchange and physical activity programme: A cross-sectional baseline study. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1307685. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1307685
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2015). Informe mundial sobre el envejecimiento y la salud. https://www.who.int/es/publications/i/item/9789241565042
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., ... Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Peters, R., Ee, N., Ward, S. A., Kenning, G., Radford, K., Goldwater, M., Dodge, H. H., Lewis, E., Xu, Y., Kudrna, G., Hamilton, M., Peters, J., Anstey, K. J., Lautenschlager, N. T., Fitzgerald, A., & Rockwood, K. (2021). Intergenerational programmes bringing together community dwelling non-familial older adults and children: A systematic review. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 94, 104356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2021.104356
Pillemer, K., Nolte, J., Schultz, L., Yau, H., Henderson, C. R., Cope, M. T., & Baschiera, B. (2022). The benefits of intergenerational wisdom-sharing: A randomized controlled study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7), 4010. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074010
Pinazo-Hernandis, S., Zacarés, J. J., Serrat, R., & Villar, F. (2023). The role of generativity in later life in the case of productive activities: Does the type of active aging activity matter? Research on Aging, 45(1), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/01640275221122914
Rethlefsen, M. L., Kirtley, S., Waffenschmidt, S., Ayala, A. P., Moher, D., Page, M. J., & Koffel, J. B. (2021). PRISMA-S: An extension to the PRISMA Statement for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews, 10(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01542-z
Rowe, G., Straka, S., Hart, M., Callahan, A., Robinson, D., & Robson, G. (2020). Prioritizing Indigenous Elders’ knowledge for intergenerational well-being. Canadian Journal on Aging, 39(2), 156–168. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980819000631
Santini, S., Tombolesi, V., Baschiera, B., & Lamura, G. (2018). Intergenerational programs involving adolescents, institutionalized elderly, and older volunteers: Results from a pilot research-action in Italy. BioMed Research International, 2018, 4360305. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4360305
Santini, S., Baschiera, B., & Socci, M. (2020). Older adult entrepreneurs as mentors of young people neither in employment nor education and training (NEETs): Evidences from multi-country intergenerational learning program. Educational Gerontology, 46(3), 97–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2020.1714142
Schniter, E., Wilcox, N. T., Beheim, B. A., Kaplan, H. S., & Gurven, M. (2018). Information transmission and the oral tradition: Evidence of a late-life service niche for Tsimane Amerindians. Evolution and Human Behavior, 39(1), 94–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2017.10.006
Seeman, T., Merkin, S. S., Goldwater, D., & Cole, S. W. (2020). Intergenerational mentoring, eudaimonic well-being and gene regulation in older adults: A pilot study. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 111, 104468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104468
Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8, 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-8-45
Turcotte, S., DeBroux-Leduc, R., Vérité Aubry, C., Parisien, M., Levasseur, M., Daigle-Landry, D., Lorthios-Guilledroit, A., & Filiatrault, J. (2023). Older adults’ experience as peer educators in health promotion programs. Journal of Occupational Science, 30(2), 203–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2021.1944898
Villar, F., Serrat, R., & Pratt, M. W. (2023). Older age as a time to contribute: A scoping review of generativity in later life. Ageing & Society, 43(8), 1860–1881. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X21001379
Zhu, D., Al Mahmud, A., & Liu, W. (2025). Effects of a mobile storytelling app (Huiyou) on social participation among people with mild cognitive impairment: Pilot randomized controlled trial. JMIR Human Factors, 12, e70177. https://doi.org/10.2196/70177