Ageist Attitudes Research Articles

Cultural Underpinnings of Ageism: Exploring the Intersection of Georgian Identity and Aging Stereotypes

This study explores the relationship between Georgian cultural identity and ageist attitudes and stereotypes towards the elderly. It investigates whether a strong identification with traditional Georgian values correlates with ageist perceptions among the younger population in Georgia. Conducted with 300 young respondents, the research revealed that those who strongly identify with traditional Georgian culture exhibited less overt ageism. This aligns with the cultural norms that emphasize respect for elders. However, these individuals may still harbor implicit biases influenced by broader societal trends that prioritize youth and productivity. Older adults were often perceived as warm and kind, but they were also stereotyped as physically and cognitively limited, fitting into the "pity" category of the Stereotype Content Model (Fiske, Cuddy, & Glick, 2002). These findings provided valuable insights into the cultural dynamics of aging in Georgia and have implications for public policy and social interventions aimed at mitigating ageism.

An Exploration of the Knowledge and Current Practices of Frontline Workers Regarding Elder Abuse.

Annually, approximately 16% of adults aged 60 and older are victims of abuse in community settings. A critical first step toward effectively intervening and reducing the prevalence of elder abuse is to better understand the current state of knowledge, beliefs, and practices. This qualitative descriptive study explored the perceptions of US frontline community workers regarding elder abuse through focus groups and interviews conducted in the spring and summer of 2021. Participants represented various aging and victim services (n = 9), healthcare (n = 7), and law enforcement (n = 8). Thematic data analysis led to the emergence of three major themes in our data: societal influence, individual circumstances, and nature of abuse. Our findings point out several directions in which researchers and policymakers can begin moving the field forward. These include the need to focus on prevention strategies as well as the need to reduce ageist beliefs and attitudes.

Insights on Poverty-based Inequality in Old-age Mortality in India

BackgroundAs the global population ages, understanding the effect of poverty on old-age mortality becomes increasingly important, especially in India, which is undergoing significant demographic and socio-economic changes. Although previous research has established a link between poverty and mortality, there is a critical need for panel studies to investigate this relationship specifically among older adults. This study addresses this gap by using panel data to examine the association between initial poverty status and subsequent mortality among older adults in India. Additionally, it explores the factors contributing to mortality disparities between poor and non-poor older adults.MethodsWe analyzed panel data from two rounds of the India Human Development Survey. The age-sex standardized old-age mortality rates for poor and non-poor older adults were calculated using direct standardization. Mortality disparities were evaluated through bivariate and proportion tests, as well as multivariable logistic regression analyses. The Fairlie decomposition technique was employed to identify factors contributing to these disparities, with sensitivity analyses performed to ensure the robustness of the findings.ResultsThe age-sex standardized old-age mortality rate for the poor was 31.9 per 100 people, with a 1.15 times higher likelihood of mortality [95% CI: (1.04,1.27)] between round-I to round-II compared to non-poor counterparts. Factors such as household wealth (33.6%), social class (17.1%), education (12%), and occupation (4.3%) were significant indicators of the poverty gap in old-age mortality. Surprisingly, chronic diseases, age, and gender negatively affect mortality disparity, while higher mortality in extended families suggests a weakening traditional support system.ConclusionThe findings underscore the importance of addressing ageist attitudes and enhancing social safety nets and affordable healthcare for older adults, who face higher risks of poverty and premature death. The elevated mortality among those in prolonged poverty cycles highlights the need for policymakers to reconsider universal support policies for older individuals. Specifically, if non-poor older adults have longer lifespans, policies centred solely on poor may not effectively address the needs of all older individuals.

A scoping review of reviews on helping professionals’ attitudes toward older adults

To examine helping professionals’ attitudes toward older adults is of critical importance in improving the quality of gerontological care and promoting a longevity society. The objective of the present study was to examine the current state of knowledge regarding helping professionals’ attitudes toward older people. This has been done through a review of recent systematic reviews. We used ten databases to search for systematic reviews published on peer-reviewed platforms from 2000 to September 2023. Initially, 730 articles were retrieved, of which 14 were found to be eligible for inclusion. Current evidence primarily focuses on three aspects of helping professionals’ attitudes toward older adults: (1) cognitive, affective and behavioural manifestations of ageist attitudes; (2) professional/educational and non-professional/non-educational factors that influence these attitudes; and (3) education-based and experience-based interventions targeting these attitudes. While it is difficult to synthesise the level of positivity or negativity in helping professionals’ attitudes, we found evidence of stereotypes of older people as incompetent and difficult, and passive emotions and behaviours when providing care. Gerontological knowledge, professional values and exposure to older adults are critical factors shaping helping professionals’ attitudes. Interventions based on positive gerontological education and improving intergenerational relationships have shown promising benefits. Our review identifies notable research gaps in current literature, namely the under-representation of non-Western regions and the lack of valid and culturally sensitive instruments for ageism-related concepts. It provides valuable insights for future research, practice and policy on ageism to improve the quality of gerontological care.

Beyond the stethoscope: ageism in white coats and resident physicians' preferences for elderly patient care.

The global increase in life expectancy has significantly raised the elderly population. In Türkiye, the proportion of individuals aged 65 and over rose from 8.8% in 2018 to 10.2% in 2023. This demographic shift necessitates the planning of social and health services for the elderly. Ageism affects elderly health negatively and is prevalent in healthcare settings. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ageism among resident physicians at Pamukkale University Hospital and identify factors influencing their preferences for providing healthcare to elderly patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Pamukkale University Hospital between 6 June and 16 June, 2024. A total of 448 resident physicians were selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, which included sociodemographic information, factors affecting ageism, and the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used to evaluate factors influencing healthcare preferences. The FSA score averaged 71.89 ± 7.87, indicating a 20.1% (95% CI:16.48-24.10) prevalence of age discrimination among resident physicians. Logistic regression analysis revealed that male participants (odds ratio (OR) = 1.519, P = 0.042), those with moderate to very poor perceived knowledge of elderly health (OR = 2.418, P < 0.001), and higher FSA scores (OR = 1.046, P < 0.001) were more likely to prefer not providing healthcare services to elderly patients. Ageism among resident physicians is prevalent, impacting their willingness to provide care to elderly patients. Gender, perceived knowledge, and ageist attitudes influence their preferences for providing healthcare to elderly patients. Addressing these factors is crucial for improving healthcare services for the elderly.

A meta-analysis of the attitudes of university students in Türkiye toward ageism

ABSTRACT In today’s society, the issues surrounding aging, older adults, and ageism have gained considerable attention due to the rapidly increasing aging population. This study examines attitudes of the university students in Türkiye toward ageism. Employing a meta-analysis approach, the study investigates whether various sociodemographic factors affecting university students’ attitudes toward ageism. Utilizing Comprehensive Meta Analysis (CMA) software, the research examines potential disparities in attitudes toward ageism based on gender, class, age, family type, mother’s education level, father’s education level and the place where they spend most of their lives. The analysis involves evaluating Hedges’s g effect coefficient, Z statistic, and p-values to determine the relationship between ageism and demographic variables. To address publication bias, Egger’s regression intercept, Duval and Tweedie’s trim and fill, Rosenthal’s classic fail-safe N, and Orwin’s fail-safe N tests are conducted. Conclusively, the study finds that sociodemographic variables have a predominantly ‘very low’ or ‘low’ impact on ageism attitudes among university students. Specifically, only the variable of class shows a marginal effect (measured at −0.375), albeit statistically insignificant. Due to the absence of prior meta-analyses exploring the effects of sociodemographic factors on ageism among university students, these results cannot be directly compared with the existing research.

Development and evaluation of an anti-ageism advisory group with older adults and gerontological experts: a qualitative descriptive study

BackgroundIn recent years, academics have increasingly acknowledged the importance of involving health service users and community stakeholders as active partners in health research. Yet, the involvement of older adults, the largest group of health service users, as research partners remains limited, possibly due to ageist attitudes that devalue older adults’ contributions. During the three years of our Awakening Canadians to Ageism study, we convened an advisory group consisting of older adults and gerontological experts to discuss issues related to ageism, help interpret the study findings, and develop a range of knowledge mobilization strategies to dispel ageism.MethodsTo understand the experiences of members of the advisory group and solicit recommendations for improving future groups, we conducted a qualitative descriptive study and interviewed 8 older adults and 6 gerontological experts. Data were content analyzed.ResultsFour categories that were developed to explain participants’ experiences and suggestions for future advisory groups included: organization and management, group experience, suggestions for future advisory groups and moving forward. A key finding was the value that the older adults and gerontological experts ascribed to conversations about the prevalence of ageism and their desire to continue these types of conversations in their personal groups and professional networks. Numerous helpful strategies for future advisory groups were identified, such as enhancing social diversity, both in terms of racial/ethnic/cultural representation and gender. Older adults wanted more “getting to know you time” in meetings and gerontological experts wanted more details about the research process and their role.ConclusionsThis study’s partnership approach can guide researchers seeking to involve key health service users and community stakeholders in health research and help enact positive social change.

The Impact of Gendered Ageism and Related Intersectional Inequalities on the Health and Well-being of Older Women

Gendered ageism contributes to invisibility and homogenization of older women, harming their health, quality of life and limiting their social participation. Health issues related to aging have received increasing attention in the scientific literature. However, studies on aging that include a gender dimension or ethnic aspects remain scarce. This article presents the results of a systematic review on older women’s health and wellbeing, gender inequalities, age discrimination experienced by older women and their intersections with other forms of discrimination. Between January and February 2023, we conducted a literature review using PRISMA in the Web of Science Core Collection, MEDLINE and SciELO Citation Index. We selected 43 empirical studies from different countries focusing on women over 65 years. The findings show the incidence of discrimination and inequality in health care experienced by older women, ageist attitudes among health care providers and other professionals, experiences of abuse and gender-based violence among older women. Additionally, the study examines the impact of ageism and other forms of discrimination on the health of LGBTQ+ older people, ethnic minorities, older women with disabilities, and other non-traditional groups.

Older adults’ subjective aging perceptions, mentalization, and social relationships: a micro-longitudinal study

Objectives Social relationships are associated with various positive physical, psychological, and emotional outcomes in older adults. In line with the growing understanding of the role of subjective views of aging (VoA) for older adults’ quality of life, the current work examines how daily fluctuations in VoA affect social relationships. Moreover, as the ability to mentalize others’ states of mind (i.e. Theory of Mind) considerably enhances such relationships, this study assesses whether mentalization abilities mediate the VoA-social relationships link. Method Eighty-two Israeli older adults (mean age = 73.44, SD = 8.64, range = 60–95) completed a baseline online questionnaire containing background information, and subsequently filled out daily online questionnaires assessing ageist attitudes, subjective age, mentalization abilities, and positive social relationships for 14 consecutive days. Results Positive VoA (reduced ageist attitudes and/or a young subjective age) were associated with enhanced mentalization and positive relationships on a given day and in time-lagged analyses. Moreover, mentalization mediated the effect of previous-day VoA on next-day positive social relationships. VoA also mediated the effect of previous-day mentalization on next-day positive social relationships. Conclusion The study highlights the importance of mentalization capabilities for maintaining positive VoA/social relationships and expands the understanding of underlying factors associated with meaningful and close relationships in older adults.

Cultural Differences in Daily Coupling of Subjective Views of Aging and Negative Affect.

The established link between subjective views of aging (VoA) and well-being shows variations across different cultures. Although VoA show daily fluctuations, little is known about cultural differences in such fluctuations and the daily coupling of VoA and well-being. We compared Israeli Arabs to Israeli Jews in the daily coupling of VoA and negative affect (NA). Community-dwelling older adults (N = 76, Mage = 66.71) completed measures of subjective age, subjective accelerated aging, ageist attitudes, and NA over 14 consecutive days. Respondents reported higher daily NA when they felt older, reported to be aging faster, or had more ageist attitudes. The daily coupling between subjective age/subjective accelerated aging and NA was stronger among Israeli Arabs compared to Israeli Jews. There was no such interaction with ageist attitudes. It is important to adopt a cultural perspective when investigating daily fluctuations in VoA and their correlates. In applied contexts, this might help to identify cultural groups that are particularly sensitive to the effects of VoA.

Understanding ageism towards older nursing staff and service users: A systematic mapping review from the perspective of clinical leaders and healthcare managers

IntroductionAgeist attitudes negatively affect the quality of care for service users and the working conditions of older nursing staff. Clinical leaders’ perceptions of older service users and nursing staff are unknown. AimTo map research evidence on ageist attitudes in healthcare towards service users and older nursing staff, from the leadership perspective. Material and MethodsA systematic mapping review with database searches in March 2021 and May 2023). Nineteen articles (qualitative n = 13, quantitative n = 3, mixed methods n = 3) were analysed and mapped to the Nurse Executive Capability Framework. ResultsFuture planning, team building, and self-awareness are leadership categories requiring consideration. Guidelines and policies addressing the holistic needs of older service users and older nursing staff are lacking. ConclusionsOrganizational planning, team building, and self-awareness are crucial for the holistic care of older service users and for creating attractive workplaces for older nursing staff.

Ageist attitudes and psychological distress in older adults: The moderating role of reflective functioning.

Ageist attitudes have been associated with various aspects of psychological functioning in older adults. According to Terror Management Theory, older adults may be seen as a reminder of human demise and death, and research has demonstrated links between ageist attitudes and compromised abilities to seek and maintain close personal relationships, which ward off awareness of one's mortality. Accordingly, the current work examined whether reflective functioning, or the ability to comprehend one's own and others' mental states, mitigates the negative psychological manifestations of ageist attitudes in older adults. Data was collected from 686 participants aged 60-94 (Mage=72.64, SD=6.28), who completed scales assessing ageist attitudes, reflective functioning, and psychological distress, as well as relevant socio-demographic information. Results indicated that ageist attitudes were linked with low levels of reflective functioning and enhanced psychological distress. Moreover, reflective functioning moderated the ageist attitudes-distress link, which was not significant in individuals reporting high levels of reflective functioning. This study provides insight into how the ability to comprehend others' mental states mitigates the adverse psychological effects of ageist attitudes and highlights the importance of examining relationship-enhancing personal factors within the context of negative ageing perceptions and psychological distress.

Self-determination in older patients: Experiences from nurse-dominated ambulance services.

To describe ambulance clinicians' experiences of self-determination in older patients. The study had an inductive and explorative design, guided from a life-world perspective. Thirty-two Swedish ambulance clinicians were interviewed in six focus groups in November 2019. The data were analysed with content analysis, developing manifest categories and latent themes. The ambulance clinicians assessed the older patients' exercise of self-determination by engaging in conversation and by being visually alert, to eventually gain an overall picture of their decision-making capacity. This assessment was used as a platform when informing older patients of their rights, thus promoting their participation in care. Having limited time and narrow guidelines counteracted ambulance clinicians' ambitions to support older patients' general desire to avoid hospitalization, which resulted in an urge to displace their responsibility to external decision-makers. Expectations that older patients with impaired decision-making ability will give homogeneous responses mean an increased risk of ageist attitudes with a simplified view of patient autonomy. Such attitudes risk the withholding of information about options that healthcare professionals do not wish older patients to choose. When decision-making is difficult, requests for expanded guidelines may paradoxically risk alienation from the professional nursing role. The findings show ambulance clinicians' unwillingness to shoulder their professional responsibility when encountering older patients with impaired decision-making ability. In assuming that all older patients reason in the same way, ambulance clinicians tend to adopt a simplistic and somewhat ageist approach when it comes to patient autonomy. This points to deficiencies in ethical competence, which is why increased ethics support is deemed suitable to promote and develop ethical competence. Such support can increase the ability to act as autonomous professionals in accordance with professional ethical codes. This study adhered to COREQ guidelines. None.

Ageism Healthcare: Implications for the Psychological Well-Being of Atlantic Canadian Healthcare Professionals.

Ageism in healthcare is related to poor outcomes for older patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between ageism and various aspects of the psychological well-being of healthcare professionals in Atlantic Canada. In 2023, an online survey of 294 healthcare professionals from various disciplines was conducted. This survey included items to measure expectations of aging, stress, burnout, emotional dissonance, and well-being. Results indicated that aging expectations were significantly related to burnout, perceived stress, well-being, and emotional dissonance. With the use of a path analysis, emotional dissonance partially mediated relationships between burnout and well-being with stress. However, aging expectations did not significantly predict emotional dissonance. Differences were found across professional groups on ageism. Conclusions support the need for increased awareness to the relationship between ageist attitudes and professionals' well-being, as well as the need for education and interventions to reduce false expectations about the aging process.

Evaluation of Nursing Students' Attitudes Towards Age Discrimination in Turkey: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study

Aim: Although aging reveals individuals with a higher demand for health services, geriatric nursing is not preferred. The study was carried out to measure the ageism of nursing students in Turkey and determine whether or not there were differences in ageism attitudes of students based on gender, grade, and living with aged individuals.&#x0D; Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. PubMed, Scopus, Google Academic, and National Thesis Center databases were screened.&#x0D; Results: Total 23 studies were included. The attitudes of nursing students toward aged people were slightly positive. The attitudes of last year students were statistically more positive. The attitudes of students living with aged individuals against ageism were found more positive. No effect of gender on ageism was found. &#x0D; Conclusion: It is seen that knowledge of aging and interacting with aged people increase positive attitudes. It is recommended to include geriatrics in the nursing curriculum and to increase activities in that nursing students can interact with aged individuals.

Intergenerational financial assistance with home ownership: Considering the potential for financial elder abuse

AbstractIntergenerational financial assistance with home ownership has attracted increasing scholarly interest in recent years. Existing research has focussed primarily on its impact on inequality, housing market outcomes and notions of meritocracy, as well as the relational dynamics through which it is negotiated. The topic of financial elder abuse has, however, remained an area of relative silence in this literature despite concerns raised by advocacy groups. In this article, we consider how intergenerational financial assistance may facilitate attitudes and behaviours that can result in financial elder abuse. To do so, we draw on an analysis of the Banking Code of Practice and the presumption of advancement, each of which shapes the way intergenerational financial assistance with home ownership unfolds in Australia. We then consider how such arrangements play out in practice through analysis of interviews conducted with donors and recipients of assistance of this type. We ultimately argue that in the context of intergenerational financial assistance with home ownership, the potential for financial elder abuse should be considered not just as an individual or family issue rooted in relationships, but as the outcome of ageist social attitudes and structural problems in the asset economy.

Effect of experiential learning on the ageist attitudes of higher education students

ABSTRACT The university’s social commitment takes the form of educational activities that bring the academic and social worlds closer together. Furthermore, the university has the responsibility and commitment to identify the needs felt by society and address them. This research aimed to determine the impact of an experiential learning methodology for coping with ageist attitudes of university students. Method. The study involved 151 students and 51 older people. The design consisted of three study groups evaluated in the short term and after three years: 51 students participated in the experiential group in an experiential activity of collecting life stories from 51 older people; 50 students performed the same practice as the experimental group but simulated it among classmates. Of the 50 students in the control group, students did not perform any activity with older people. Results. Repeated measures analyses showed that group 1 significantly decreased stereotypes after participation in the experiential activity (p < .001) and after three years (p < .001). Group 2 maintains ageist attitudes both in the short and long term (p > .05). Group 3 significantly increases negative beliefs toward old age in the long term (p > .05). Post hoc analyses indicate significant benefit (p < .001) of experiential activity in group 1 vs. group 2 and control group. Conclusion. This educational approach is not only limited to the acquisition of practical knowledge about the aging process but also actively encourages conscious evaluation and reconsideration of preconceived perceptions.

Intergenerational Interaction, Financial Well-Being, and Ageism in Kazakhstan During Covid Pandemic

ABSTRACT As the age of a population increases, different problems arise in a society, which inevitably leads to ageism. The introduction of extraordinary measures to protect the older adults during COVID-19 further exacerbated the complexity of ageism and led to worsened financial well-being for households. This study aims to determine the financial and other factors associated with different ageist attitudes. 286 respondents from Kazakhstan participated in the online study, and the hypotheses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicated a strong relationship between economic status and ageist behaviors. Moreover, COVID was positively associated with unfavorable ageist attitudes, whereas experience with older people reduces negative perceptions toward older people. Contribution: The results add new evidence to the intergenerational research that investigated ageism triggers. It suggests that financial well-being is one of the main components of negative ageist behavior, while it does not have an impact on positive one.

RELATION OF SPECIFIC DOMAINS OF AGING KNOWLEDGE AND CONTACT TO AGEIST ATTITUDES AMONG DOCTORAL PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS

Abstract Knowledge about aging and intergenerational contact were identified in Levy’s (2018) Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences (PEACE) model as the two elements that are key to reducing ageist attitudes. Existing empirical literature examining these relationships has primarily focused on undergraduate, rather than graduate, students and has typically operationalized knowledge about aging as a unidimensional construct (i.e., total score). Thus, in this study, we examined how knowledge within three specific domains of aging (psychological, social, biological) as well as quantity of contact with older adults related to ageist attitudes among doctoral psychology students (N=192; age=21-58 years). Participants completed the Contact with Older Adults Scale, Facts about Aging Quiz, Fraboni Scale of Ageism (subscales: Stereotypes, Separation, Affective Attitudes), and Ambivalent Aging Scale (subscales: Hostile Ageism, Benevolent Ageism). Controlling for students’ age and aging coursework, the three knowledge domains and contact together explained between 8%-24% of the variance in the five measures of ageist attitudes. As expected, greater knowledge of psychological aging related to less endorsement of ageist stereotypes and less separation from older adults; however, greater knowledge of biological aging related to more ageist attitudes across all five measures, and greater knowledge of social aging related to more benevolent ageist attitudes. More contact with older adults related to less separation and less negative affect about older adults, but not to the other ageist attitudes measures. Differentiating between domains of aging knowledge produced unique relations with both explicitly negative and ambivalent ageist attitudes, which ageism intervention designers may need to consider.

WITHIN- AND BETWEEN-COUNTRY DIFFERENCES IN DAILY ASSOCIATION OF VIEWS OF AGING AND NEGATIVE AFFECT

Abstract Few studies found cultural differences, both across and within countries, in the association between subjective views of aging (VoA) and psychological concomitants. However, a question remains whether such cultural differences exist on a daily level. We therefore examined cultural differences in daily covariation of VoA and negative affect (NA) within an Israeli sample (comparing Israeli Jews to Arabs) and between countries (comparing the Israeli sample to an American sample). The Israeli sample included 75 participants (age ranged 50 to 88, 36% Arabs). The American sample included 77 participants (age ranged 50 to 82). Participants reported subjective age, subjective accelerated aging, ageist attitudes, and NA across 14 days. Within-person variability ranged from 28% (ageist attitudes) to 52% (NA) of the total variance in the Israeli sample, and 26% (subjective age) to 38% (subjective accelerated aging) in the American sample. On days respondents felt younger, felt to be aging slower, or had less ageist attitudes, they also reported lower NA. Cross-level interactions showed that the associations of subjective age and subjective accelerated aging with NA were significantly stronger among Israeli Arabs (versus Israeli Jews) and significantly stronger in the Israeli sample (versus the American sample). The daily covariance between ageist attitudes and NA remained similar across cultural groups. These findings attest to the importance of taking a cultural perspective on daily relationships between VoA and psychological concomitants. Our talk will discuss potential explanations for the abovementioned cultural differences and similarities and will point to future directions in our Subjective AGES project.