Current status and trends of healthy ageing-related themes at the World Health Assembly

Objectives To review and analyze the distribution, spatiotemporal trends, and influencing factors of healthy ageing-related themes at the World Health Assembly (WHA) during 2024–2025.

Methods We collected the agendas, side events, and member state statements from WHA77 and WHA78, and combined them with national socioeconomic development levels, public data, and policy documents. Descriptive analysis and Tobit regression were employed to present the current status and spatiotemporal changes and to examine the influences of the sociodemographic index (SDI), GDP per capita, population aging, and national policies and data capacity.

Results Neither WHA77 nor WHA78 established an independent agenda item on healthy ageing, while relevant keywords were embedded within broader themes such as universal health coverage. Compared with WHA77, WHA78 demonstrated increased frequency and broader coverage of healthy ageing topics, particularly concentrated in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. At WHA77, discussions were primarily linked to universal health coverage, whereas at WHA78 they were more frequently associated with chronic diseases and dementia. At WHA78, member states with available national data related to healthy ageing (β = 1.20, 95%CI: 0.21 to 2.18), higher GDP per capita (β_Q1 = –3.13, 95%CI: –5.75 to –0.50), and middle SDI status (β_{High SDI =} –2.15, 95%CI: –4.27 to –0.04) were more likely to address healthy ageing-related themes.

Conclusions The frequency of healthy ageing-related themes at the WHA is influenced by factors such as national data capacity and socioeconomic development level. Although the WHA has not yet established an independent healthy ageing agenda item, healthy ageing-related themes are increasingly integrated into both formal agendas and side events, with expanding spatiotemporal coverage.