Measures of self- and other-directed ageism and worries concerning COVID-19 health consequences: Results from a nationally representative sample of Israelis over the age of 50

Ayalon, Liat; Cohn‐Schwartz, Ella

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0251577

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Scant research has considered how ageism toward older adults in the context of COVID‐19 was perceived and embodied by older adults throughout the first year of the pandemic in the United States. Furthermore, only a limited amount of research has examined older adults’ reactions to and interpretations of ageism during the pandemic, both in the United States and in Europe (Ayalon & Cohn‐Schwartz, 2021 ; Cohn‐Schwartz & Ayalon, 2021 ; Kornadt et al., 2021 ). Emerging research on this topic suggests that older adults in Europe were aware of their age group being represented as a homogeneous group throughout the pandemic, and that paternalism toward older adults during the pandemic may have shaped older adults’ perceptions of their identities (Hopf et al., 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older adults’ perceptions and experiences of ageism during the COVID‐19 pandemic

McDarby

Picchiello

et al. 2022

Journal of Social Issues

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The current study investigates older adults’ perceptions of ageism in the United States during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Using tenets of Stereotype Embodiment Theory and the Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes Map framework, we sought to (a) examine whether older adults experienced ageism as self‐relevant during the pandemic and (b) understand whether older adults experienced certain media messages and interpersonal behaviors during the pandemic and interpreted them as being motivated by potentialpaternalistic age stereotypes. Older adults aged 65 and older recruited from the community ( n = 73) participated in a semi‐structured interview about their perspectives on ageism toward older adults during the pandemic. Participants also completed an online survey about their experiences with a range of messages and interpersonal behaviors throughout the pandemic. We thematically analyzed interview data and identified three primary themes: self‐relevance of age stereotypes; awareness of negative, overgeneralized portrayals of older adults; and defenses against self‐relevance of age stereotypes. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequency counts and suggest that participants attributed messages and behaviors potentially imbued with paternalistic ageism as motivated primarily by care and concern for older adults. The findings add to the field's understanding of older adults’ experiences and perceptions of ageism in the media and in interpersonal behaviors in the context of COVID‐19.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older adults’ perceptions and experiences of ageism during the COVID‐19 pandemic

McDarby

Picchiello

et al. 2022

Journal of Social Issues

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“…Our findings support this as health moderated the relationship of subjective age, worry, and risk perception. Relatedly, Ayalon and Cohn-Schwartz [ 36 ] found that people with chronic illnesses tend to worry more about Covid-19, confirming the strong connection between health/illness and worries related to the pandemic. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the associations between subjective age, risk perception and worry are contingent on specific contextual factors, such as subjective health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 79%

“…Indeed, a recent study by Greenblatt-Kimron, Ring [ 35 ] showed that Covid-19 related worries predicted peritraumatic stress, with an effect stronger for those who felt they were getting older faster. Another recent study by Ayalon and Cohn-Schwatz [ 36 ] showed that self-perceptions of aging and perceived age-based discrimination in healthcare settings were significant predictors of health worries related to Covid-19.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Subjective age, worry and risk-related perceptions in older adults in times of a pandemic

Tingvold

Albert

Hoffmann³

et al. 2022

PLoS ONE

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During the Covid-19 pandemic, older people have been in the spotlight of the public debate. Given their higher risk of severe outcomes of the disease, they have been described as especially vulnerable and as a burden to others and society. We thus wanted to investigate how older people’s perception of their own age, that is their subjective age, as well as their Covid-19 related risks and worries were related during the pandemic and whether these relationships varied according to participants’ subjective health. We used data from the longitudinal CRISIS study which was conducted in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in June and October 2020. Participants were aged 60–98 and responded on questionnaires regarding their subjective age, worry of falling ill with Covid-19, perceived risk of contracting the virus, perceived risk of falling seriously ill if they contracted Covid-19, as well as their subjective health and covariates. Three cross-lagged panel models were constructed to explore the longitudinal, bidirectional relationships between the variables. Cross-sectionally, a higher subjective age was related to more perceived risk of a serious course of disease. Longitudinally, subjective age and worry did not show any significant association over time, and neither did subjective age and perceived risk of contracting the virus. However, subjective health significantly moderated the relationship of worry and subjective age, showing different trajectories in the relationship depending on whether subjective health was good or bad. Higher perceived risk of falling seriously ill increased subjective age over time. Again, subjective health moderated this relationship: the perceived risk of falling seriously ill affected subjective age only for those with better subjective health. Our findings show the interactive relationship between subjective age and Covid-19 related cognitions and emotions and provide guidance for identifying older people that are most susceptible for negative age-related communication during the pandemic.

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“…With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed the pandemic of ageism in social media discourse and relevant policies (Ayalon, 2020;Ayalon & Cohn-Schwartz, 2021a;Clarfield & Jotkowitz, 2020). This has raised attention to the topic of ageism and the need to act.…”

Section: The Case Study: Social Campaigns For the Eradication Of Agei...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Eradicating ageism through social campaigns: An Israeli case study in the shadows of the COVID‐19 pandemic

Okun

Ayalon

2022

Journal of Social Issues

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This study examined three social campaigns for the eradication of ageism that were undertaken in Israel during the COVID‐19 pandemic (April, 2020–May, 2021). The documentation and analysis of the campaigns were undertaken via the lens of the Theory of Change and Five Key Principles for social campaigns: planning strategically, communicating effectively, fostering community engagement, implementing key activities, and using research. We conducted desk reviews and qualitative interviews with the campaigns’ organizers. The Theory of Change implemented by the campaigns targeted self‐ageism among independent older people and/or employers of older adults. All campaigns emphasized “active aging” and “successful aging,” to decrease (self)‐ageism. The focus on one dimension of active and positive aging may result in ageism and exclusion of older people who do not fit into the category of independent and active people. The complex timing of the campaigns had influenced the degree of implementation of the five key principles. The joining of forces of different organizations and the employment of more diverse representations of old age, may facilitate the achievement of campaign goals. Finally, an empirical evaluation of social campaigns’ efforts is still necessary to gather evidence about the effectiveness of social campaigns.

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Measures of self- and other-directed ageism and worries concerning COVID-19 health consequences: Results from a nationally representative sample of Israelis over the age of 50

Cited by 6 publications

References 32 publications

Older adults’ perceptions and experiences of ageism during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Older adults’ perceptions and experiences of ageism during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Subjective age, worry and risk-related perceptions in older adults in times of a pandemic

Eradicating ageism through social campaigns: An Israeli case study in the shadows of the COVID‐19 pandemic

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