Pathways from Ageism to Loneliness

Shiovitz-Ezra, Sharon; Shemesh, Jonathan; McDonnell‐Naughton, Mary

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-73820-8_9

Cited by 62 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 70 publications

(38 reference statements)

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“…Such discriminatory events may also give rise to a fear of ageing which was associated with higher levels of loneliness in this study. These findings from the qualitative and quantitative strands align with what Shiovitz et al [47] argued about the experiences of ageism in different places, which restricted social opportunities for older adults, consequently limiting social engagement and elevating late-life loneliness.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Psychological wellbeing of middle-aged and older queer men in India: A mixed-methods approach

Sharma

Subramanyam

2020

PLoS ONE

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Borrowing concepts from public health, we examined the association of several social determinants with the mental health of middle-aged and older queer men in India by combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A cross-sectional survey guided by Meyer's Minority Stress Model was carried out to assess the links between minority stressors (internalized homophobia and degree of closetedness), age-related stressors (ageism and fear of ageing) and psychological wellbeing (loneliness, depressive symptoms and sexual compulsivity) among 207 Indian men (aged 40 years and above) who identified themselves as non-heterosexuals. Results from simple and multivariable linear regression models showed significant positive associations of ageism, internalized homophobia, and fear of ageing with loneliness, even after accounting for sociodemographic and stress mitigating factors. Ageism was not significantly related to depressive symptoms. However, fear of ageing and internalized homophobia was positively associated with depressive symptoms after accounting for covariates. Further, regression models demonstrated a consistent and statistically significant inverse association between income and adverse psychological outcomes suggesting the centrality of social class in the lived experience of Indian gay and bisexual men. The qualitative inquiry addressed the same research questions as the quantitative survey through in-depth interviews of thirty middle-aged and older gay and bisexual men in Mumbai. We found that older and midlife gay and bisexual men with higher income (a proxy for social class) found ways to manage their masculinities with no discernible adverse psychological outcomes. Depressive symptoms and loneliness in this population made them further vulnerable to excessive sexual impulses, especially in the older queer men who were passing off as heterosexuals. Overall, the theory-driven empirical findings suggest that even in India, where family and friends are social insurance for later life, the issues of ageism and internalized homophobia have the potential to lead to worse mental health outcomes among older queer men.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Psychological wellbeing of middle-aged and older queer men in India: A mixed-methods approach

Sharma

Subramanyam

2020

PLoS ONE

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“…Ageism describes “prejudice by one age group against another age group”, and includes having negative connotations associated with old age . Ageism is a pervasive form of social prejudice, and has many undesirable social repercussions for older adults, such as discrimination in the workplace, fewer learning and development opportunities, loneliness, social rejection and neglect …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Translation and preliminary validation of an ageism scale for dental students in Brazil (ASDS‐Braz)

et al. 2020

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Background and Objective Ageism is a major barrier for age‐appropriate care. The aim of this study was to translate and perform a preliminary validation of an ageism scale for dental students (ASDS) in Brazil (ASDS‐Braz). Methods The 27‐item original ageism scale was translated from English into Brazilian Portuguese. A panel of five Brazilian dental educators revised the scale to establish content validity. The translated version was completed by 156 dental students in the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil. Principal component analysis, internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity were estimated. Results All items in the Brazilian Portuguese version received a content validity index score ≥0.80 indicating that they were relevant to the topic. The principal component analysis produced a 12‐item scale with three components that accounted for 51% of the overall variance. The first component contained six items associated with a negative view of older adults; the second component contained three items dealing with the complexity of providing care for older adults; and the third component contained three items associated with a positive view of older people. Discriminant validity did not show any differences related to demographic factors, the semester of studies and history of living with older people. Conclusions The preliminary validation of the ASDS‐Braz produced a 12‐item scale with three components with acceptable validity and reliability. Future research in a larger, multi‐institutional sample is now warranted.

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“…Loneliness can be defined as the discrepancy between desired and actual quantity and quality of social relations [ 10 ]. Furthermore, loneliness is a subjective experience, which is painful, unwanted, aversive, and difficult to tolerate [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. It has also been associated with alcohol abuse and suicide, and undermines confidence in the ability to create and maintain social relationships [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender and Age Differences in Loneliness: Evidence for People without and with Disabilities

Pagán

2020

IJERPH

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This study examines the relationships between loneliness, gender, and age for people without and with disabilities (moderate versus severe) in Germany. Using data taken from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 2013 and 2017 and using the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale, in general we found that males report lower loneliness scores as compared to those for females. Furthermore, we found a strong association between loneliness and the individual’s age, but with differences according to gender and disability status. For example, for males with severe disabilities levels of loneliness decrease with age, whereas for females with severe disabilities the opposite result is found. In addition, we found that participation in leisure activities and having a higher frequency of contacts with family, friends, and social online networks (measured by the relational time index) contribute to reducing loneliness for all individuals. From a public policy perspective, it is necessary to undertake the design, promotion, and implementation of instrumental, emotional, and social support measures for people with disabilities (in particular for females that are severely limited in their daily activities), which can contribute to reducing their loneliness scores and increasing their levels of life satisfaction.

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Pathways from Ageism to Loneliness

Cited by 62 publications

References 70 publications

Psychological wellbeing of middle-aged and older queer men in India: A mixed-methods approach

Psychological wellbeing of middle-aged and older queer men in India: A mixed-methods approach

Translation and preliminary validation of an ageism scale for dental students in Brazil (ASDS‐Braz)

Gender and Age Differences in Loneliness: Evidence for People without and with Disabilities

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