International perspectives on aging· 2018· Book chapter
Ageism in the Health Care System: Providers, Patients, and Systems
- 245citations
- 2018year
Short summary
Ageist stereotypes and discrimination against older adults create barriers to health equality, impacting their well-being and care at both personal and institutional levels.
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Key points
- Ageism manifests at the micro-level through provider attitudes, communication, and clinical decision-making, as well as self-directed ageism in patients.
- Macro-level ageism includes biased health care reimbursement, exclusion from clinical trials, and insufficient geriatric training for professionals.
- These ageist practices are significant barriers to health equality for older adults within an increasingly aging society.
- The chapter reviews empirical research and health care policy to identify and propose ways to reduce ageism.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Older adults are major consumers of health care. Within the context of an ageing society, their presence in the health care system will continue to grow. Ageist stereotypes and discrimination against older adults have an impact on the health and well-being of older citizens and are potential barriers to health equality. This chapter addresses ageism at different levels of the health care setting with a review of empirical research and health care policy. At the micro (personal) level, manifestations of ageism include attitudes toward older adults among physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals. Ageist communication styles used with older patients, age-biased clinical decision-making regarding diagnostics and treatments, and self-directed ageism in older patients are also discussed. Macro-level (institutional or structural) aspects of ageism are then examined, as reflected in health care reimbursement structures, participation of older adults in clinical trials, institutional policies governing care, and the lack of emphasis on geriatric-specific training for health care professionals. The chapter closes with an integration of the findings and a discussion of the challenges in identifying and reducing ageism in this setting. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations for future research and practice are made.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. International perspectives on aging, 2018 · DOI ↗
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Field: Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
Neuropsychology and Physiological PsychologyPsychology