Aged 60+ years.

If sample include those aged less than 60 years, only studies presenting data separately for those aged 60+ are eligible.

No limits were placed on setting/residence (eg, community dwelling, care home populations).

Any measure of socioeconomic status/position/circumstance, including but not limited to: education, wealth, financial/material resources, income, net wealth, assets, area deprivation, housing tenure, occupational classification.

Measures do not need to be explicitly described as ‘socioeconomic’.

Composite measures (ie, combining multiple indicators) are eligible.

Subjective (eg, financial strain) or objective measures (eg, net wealth).

Socioeconomic status/position measured in childhood.

Self-rated health.

Any primary or secondary health service utilisation.

Any social care or long-term care use utilisation including care homes with or without nursing, and community-based services such as home care or day centres.

Outcomes must be examined in relation to a measure of socioeconomic position (see exposure, above)

Health service use does not include treatment, surgery or medication use.

Observational.

English language studies.

Published from 2000.

Published in OECD-listed high-income countries.