According to a study by the American Journal of Public Health, bringing together youth and older people in diverse settings, as well as educating young people about the aging process, can fight ageism, according to US News & World Report.
“The results really suggest that these interventions have had a very strong effect on the results, attitudes and knowledge” on aging, said Professor David Burnes of the University of Toronto. The researchers also noted that people who take a negative attitude toward aging die about seven years earlier, on average, than those who feel more positive.
“There is a difference in the way seniors are treated, particularly with respect to their assumption that they are less competent and that their views or opinions are taken less seriously,” Burnes said.
“There is also a tendency to put seniors in a box about how they should behave or act. They may also have difficulty finding employment or being under pressure to retire before they wish. ”
ageism
Ageism is the stereotype, prejudice and discrimination against people because of their age.
Research has shown that ageism towards seniors has a negative impact on their health, well-being and the quality of health care they receive.
The scope of ageism is expected to expand in the context of the growing aging of the world’s population. Despite the scope and consequences of ageism on the health of older people, the relative effectiveness of common intervention strategies to reduce ageism has not been established.
The authors of the study sought to conduct a systematic analysis and meta-analysis of the relative effectiveness of ageism interventions characterized by education, intergenerational contact, or both.
The results showed that the interventions significantly reduced the age-related results of attitudes, and comfort to the elderly. Interventions combining elements of education and intergenerational contact had the greatest impact on people’s attitudes toward older adults.
In addition, interventions had a stronger effect on women, as well as on age groups of adolescents and young adults. This study suggests that relatively inexpensive, feasible interventions should be adopted as part of an international strategy to reduce ageism. Further investigations using rigorous intervention plans are strongly recommended for future research.
This study suggests that relatively inexpensive, feasible interventions should be adopted as part of an international strategy to reduce ageism. Further investigations using rigorous intervention plans are strongly recommended for future research. This study suggests that relatively inexpensive, feasible interventions should be adopted as part of an international strategy to reduce ageism. Further investigations using rigorous intervention plans are strongly recommended for future research.
Ageism, defined as a stereotype, prejudice or discrimination against people on the basis of age, is a growing international concern with important implications for health. An important and growing body of research shows that ageism towards the elderly is widespread in all countries and the scope of this problem is expected to grow with the aging of the world population. In addition, convincing results were highlighted, demonstrating that negative attitudes toward aging posed a significant risk to the health and well-being of recent years. The adoption of generalized negative attitudes toward aging contributes to the risk of mortality, poor functional health, and slower recovery from illness. The negative perception of aging also predicts poor mental health.
Not only do ubiquitous sexist attitudes and stereotypes contribute to negative health outcomes, but ageism among health professionals can also lead to discriminatory practices that place seniors at risk. Studies have shown that doctors, medical students and nurses have a pervasive negative attitude towards older people and old age.
These ageist attitudes may have practical consequences for older patients, such as assumptions about the functional and cognitive decline lead to more limited availability of medical information, withheld from certain treatment options, and the exclusion of clinical tests.
Ageist attitudes have also been observed among mental health practitioners and trainees (assuming, for example, that symptoms such as depression are normal in the elderly), which may limit access to treatment.
Thus, age stereotypes and prejudices among health providers can affect the quality and quantity of care received by older people and, in turn, have negative health consequences.
Ageism also promotes other forms of discrimination, including the social exclusion of older people from significant roles and relationships. The experience of social exclusion related to negative stereotypes has been identified as a chronic stressor for older adults that may be harmful to health. age – related prejudices lead to discrimination and institutional norms based on stereotypes that limit the participation of older people. At the institutional level, ageism also inhibits the development of health policies that would justify older people.
Given the extent of ageist attitudes and stereotypes and the negative consequences of ageism on health and quality of care, the development of effective interventions to reduce ageism is a priority. This point of view is corroborated by the growing evidence that reducing ageism can promote positive health behaviors in older adults. Thus, the development of interventions to combat ageism is increasingly seen as an essential element of healthy aging. Interventions include education of professionals and the general public, promotion of contacts between older people and young people (for example, school-aged children, university students) and experimental attempts to change attitudes.
Despite this promise, the effectiveness of interventions to reduce or prevent stereotypes, prejudices or discrimination related to aging has not yet been established. To the knowledge of the study’s authors, no systematic review or meta-analysis has been conducted to date on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce ageism in the elderly. Although the abundant literature on ageism and health outcomes sheds light on the scope and impact of the problem, there is no clear indication of how to reduce the negative opinions of older people through targeted interventions.
As part of a broader initiative coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to understand and address the problem of ageism, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental intervention studies. and quasi-experimental relevant to examine the relative effectiveness of the main types of ageism interventions. Based on previous research, the authors of the study classified interventions into 3 types: educational interventions providing education designed to reduce ageism, intergenerational contact interventions providing an opportunity for contact between youth and individuals elderly, and combined interventions combining the 2 approaches.
