Public management in the COVID-19 pandemic: safeguarding the rights and well-being of vulnerable groups

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has not only overwhelmed public health systems but also exacerbated social inequalities. While existing research has documented various forms of inequalities exposed by the crisis, there remains a lack of a comprehensive account of the broad plights faced by vulnerable groups. Moreover, few studies have systematically examined the practices that promote their rights and well-being through a public management lens. This study adopts a scoping review methodology guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework, analyzing 429 high-quality publications (2020–2025) to address this gap. The results reveal a three-phase evolution of research on the topic: problem identification, mechanism investigation, and a future-oriented focus. Key themes center on inequalities and plights across health, economy, education, and social participation. Notably, research output remains geographically imbalanced—regions most affected by COVID-19 are the most studied rather than the most active in contributing research. Our analysis underscores the intersecting nature of plights faced by vulnerable groups and compares cross-national experiences in safeguarding their rights and well-being. We conclude by proposing a more integrated theoretical framework for understanding vulnerability and identifying strategies to enhance public-sector efforts in protecting vulnerable groups during crises.