Major global problems such as population ageing, long-term care and the socio-economic burden of chronically ill older people and their families are urgent issues. Research in this field contributes to the growing international literature on health-related quality-of-life instruments, but little is known about the links between the related variables. Thus, the scoping review this protocol refers to plans to examine the socio-economic consequences of older people’s poor health on their economic conditions and their families. In particular, the main aims are: a) to map the main concepts that characterize the body of the reference literature; b) to identify conceptual gaps or unexplored research areas to be addressed; c) to illuminate the difficulties that affect a large number of families with older members to care for, with particular attention to the concept of socio-economic deprivation, which includes material living conditions as well as social aspects (e.g. in the form of loneliness experienced as a consequence of health disorders). This protocol paper fulfils the purpose of clarifying the planned methodological phases, including the sub-phases, and listing the techniques used. A three-step approach is being applied, consisting of: pre-planning phase, protocol phase, and conduction and reporting phase. The preliminary stages of the protocol design are part of a dedicated project within the Open Science Framework platform and included in a Research Square preprint. This proposed project will contribute to multidisciplinary research on the connections between ill health and poverty, and could support critical reflections on the current evidence and guide future policies to alleviate this double burden.

Background Long-term care (LTC), poverty, and socioeconomic deprivation are globally significant social issues. Ongoing population aging trends and the recent social and health emergencies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis have highlighted the need for macro-level LTC and welfare system sustainability strategies. At the micro level, the relationship between LTC needs and the risk of socioeconomic deprivation and poverty should be taken into account to promote more targeted and innovative policies worldwide. This scoping review explores the relationship between LTC needs, the health status of older people, and the risk of socioeconomic deprivation for their families in order to understand how the literature interprets these concepts and the relationship between them and to identify any potential gaps in this regard. Methods The methodology considers different relevant sources: a) the guidelines for ScR proposed by Lockwood et al. [1]; b) the Munn et al. [2] recommendations; c) the PRISMA guideline for Scoping Reviews [3]; and d) the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist [4]; Sixty-three papers are included in the frequency analysis of 9 identified categories to respond of aims. Results The findings reveal the existence of a debate that seeks to understand the different characteristics of the relationship between the investigated issues. Specific targets (such as older people, caregivers, and households) are used to identify LTC needs, while material deprivation or poverty is used to determine the conditions of deprivation. Relevant gaps in the literature are identified in terms of the concepts and approaches of the studies analyzed. The results indicate that the reciprocal relationship between LTC needs, supply, and the risk of socioeconomic deprivation is understudied. Conclusions The simplification strategy used in many studies to reduce the relationship’s complexity precludes an in-depth analysis and debate on some relevant aspects, including the crucial two-way relationship between LTC needs/supply and the risk of socioeconomic deprivation. Future studies should focus on the causal relationship between the two phenomena and identify any internal factors that may be involved.

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