“You get out of the house, you talk to each other, you laugh…And that’s fantastic” – a qualitative study about older people’s perceptions of social prescribing in mainland Portugal

Social prescribing (SP) is a non-clinical approach, most commonly based in healthcare units, that aims to address non-medical health-related social needs by connecting individuals with community-based services. This qualitative study explores the perception of Portuguese older adults regarding the benefits of SP and their willingness to participate in SP initiatives.