Good Intentions Aside: Stereotype Threat in the Face of Media Strategies to Counter Age Bias.

The current study shifts the focus of research on media's role in facilitating and inhibiting self-stereotyping among the members of stigmatized groups. More specifically, this study proposes and tests a conceptual model explaining (un)intentional effects of a real-world anti-ageism social media campaign among stereotyped targets: Older workers. Drawing on an experiment among older Dutch adults (N = 649), we test the effects of two message strategies for reducing prejudice: the media-literacy and the counter stereotypical information strategy. The results show that exposure to content warnings as well as strong counter-stereotypical message (i.e., consisting of positive exemplars and the negation of generic age stereotypes) is powerful in inhibiting implicit stereotype endorsement, ultimately boosting favourable employability perceptions of older workers. By integrating insights from the parasocial content hypothesis and stereotype threat indications, we provide a nuanced understanding of how anti-bias campaigns impact stigmatized targets, and isolate reasons for the varied effectiveness of such interventions.

Carrier state of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli virulence markers in pigs: effects on gut microbiota modulation and immune markers transcription.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) causes diarrhea in pigs at early age, leading to high mortality rates and significant economic losses in the swine industry. ETEC effect on gut microbiota and immune system is mostly studied in diarrheic model under controlled laboratory conditions, however its impact on asymptomatic carriers remains unknown. Thus, we investigated whether ETEC can modulate gut microbiota or regulate the transcription of immune markers in asymptomatic pigs in farm environment. Stool samples from newborn piglets, nursery and growing pigs, and sows were screened for ETEC markers, then submitted to 16S-rDNA sequencing to explore gut microbiota composition in carriers (ETEC+) and non-carriers (ETEC-) animals. We observed a reduced α-diversity in ETEC+ animals (p<0.05), while bacterial compositions were mostly driven by ageing (p>0.05). Prevotella marked ETEC-carrier group, while Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group was a marker for a healthy gut microbiota, suggesting being biomarker candidates for surveillance and supplementation purposes. Furthermore, we observed transcription regulation of il6 and tff2 genes in ETEC+ in newborn and nursery stages, respectively. Our findings indicate that ETEC presence modulate gut microbiota and the immune response in asymptomatic pigs; nevertheless, further studies using a probabilistic design must be performed to assess the effect of ETEC presence on gut imbalance in pigs despite the age bias.

Men's Social Connectedness in Later Life: A Qualitative Study with Older Men.

This qualitative study aimed to understand men's social connectedness in later life in Portugal focusing on their perceptions, obstacles, strategies, and impact on well-being. The sample included 104 older Portuguese men over 65 years of age (Mage = 70.76 years). The qualitative data were the direct transcriptions of the answers given by participants to the electronic interview using thematic analysis. Findings revealed six overarching themes encompassing 18 subcategories: definitions of social connectedness (social support, community identity, mental health promotion, use of community structures), difficulties/obstacles in maintaining social connectedness (ageism, lack of initiative, physical limitations, psychological traits, resources), strategies/actions or resources to establish social connections (use of technology, use of community groups, leisure and sport activities, church/religion), negative impact of difficulties in establishing relevant social connections (mental health, physical health, relationships), positive actions from being socially connected (positive prescriptions to promote social connectedness), and concerns from being socially disconnected (health risks). These findings indicate that the lack of social connectedness creates social vulnerability in later life, and social support is needed to ensure safer aging among older men.

Determinants of automatic age and race bias: ingroup-outgroup distinction salience moderates automatic evaluations of social groups.

Introduction: The present research investigates whether ingroup-outgroup distinction salience moderates automatic intergroup bias (i.e., more positive evaluations of ingroup targets relative to outgroup targets) toward multiply categorizable social targets. Methods: In two experiments, we manipulated the salience of participants' social identity based on age vs. race, respectively. Afterwards, we measured automatic evaluations of social targets varying in age and race. Results: Young White participants exhibited higher automatic race bias when their racial identity (i.e., White in contrast to Black) was salient. Conversely, they exhibited higher automatic age bias when their age identity (i.e., young in contrast to old) was salient. Discussion: Going beyond previous research, we show that it is sufficient to direct participants' attention to their ingroup-identity in contrast to the respective outgroup to cause changes in automatic intergroup bias. This is important because it provides a strong test of the hypothesis that ingroup-outgroup distinction salience moderates automatic intergroup bias.

A brief version of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire for older Chinese adults: development and psychometric evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Positive attitudes toward aging are considered essential for achieving psychological well-being in later life. However, there is currently a lack of a concise and comprehensive measurement tool specifically designed to assess attitudes toward aging among the elderly population in China. To address this gap, the present study aimed to develop a brief version of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire tailored to older Chinese individuals and evaluate its psychometric properties. METHODS: Initially, a sample of community-dwelling older adults (Sample 1: n = 442, aged 60-88) was utilized to establish a new scale format. Subsequently, two convenience samples (Sample 2: n = 311, aged 60-90; Sample 3: n = 164, aged 60-89) were employed to evaluate the psychometric properties of this scale, including factor structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. RESULTS: We selected 12 items from the original questionnaire to create the brief scale. The brief scale maintained the three-factor structure of the full-format version, encompassing psychosocial loss, physical change, and psychological growth, and demonstrated adequate psychometric properties. CONCLUSIONS: This development process shortens the administration time of the questionnaire while avoiding excessive loss of information. The newly developed scale serves as a reliable and valid assessment tool for measuring attitudes toward aging among older Chinese individuals and is well-suited for implementation in large-scale surveys that utilize an extensive array of questionnaires. This tool can be applied to assessing the effectiveness of interventions aimed at eliminating ageism.

Promoting the Well-Being of Older People in Ethiopia: Lost Opportunities Due to the Poverty of Policy.

The world's population is aging with the fastest growth in the older population projected to take place in Africa. In this article, we present the challenges of the growing older population in Ethiopia, outline some key changes that are needed to address those challenges, and consider the opportunities that can come about when older adults' basic needs are met and they are supported in contributing to their communities. Older adults in Ethiopia are faced with multidimensional challenges that call for collaborative efforts from different stakeholders at local, regional, and national levels. However, some measures should be given the utmost priority: combating negative attitudes toward older people, strengthening geriatric/gerontology and social work education and research, and developing aging-specific policies and services. Although the challenges faced by older adults in Ethiopia seem like a problem of aging compounded by poverty, the root source of the problem is a poverty of policy fueled by ageism. If income support and appropriate health care was provided to older adults throughout Ethiopia, health and well-being in late life would improve, food and housing insecurity among older adults would lessen, and all Ethiopians could anticipate a dignified late life.

An Intersectional Perspective on Age Stereotypes: Bisexual and Gay Men are Stereotyped as Younger than Heterosexual Men Even When Aging.

We analyzed the age stereotypes of heterosexual, gay, and bisexual men and the implications of such stereotypes for the conceptualization of older gay and bisexual men, specifically. In Study 1a (N = 158) and 1b (N = 155), we found that compared to heterosexual men, participants stereotyped gay men more on young- than elderly-stereotypical traits. Participants represented bisexual men not as "somewhere in between" the stereotypes about heterosexual and gay men, but were characterized more by young- than elderly-stereotypical traits. In Study 2 (N = 106), we reasoned that because of their sexual orientation, both older gay and bisexual men would be viewed as atypical subtypes of older men, considered to be heterosexual by default. As atypical subtypes, both older gay and bisexual men may be stereotyped less on traits associated with elderly men and more on traits associated with their sexual orientation membership, namely young-stereotypical traits. Consistently, compared with older heterosexual men, both older gay and bisexual men were perceived as less typical of older men, and their perceived atypicality accounted for them being stereotyped less as older and more as younger men. The results have been examined for intersectional stereotyping research and practical implications are discussed.

Engaging Nigerian Older Persons in Neighborhood Environment Assessment for Physical Activity Participation: A Citizen Science Project.

Background and Objectives: Global organizations are advocating that older persons' voices should guide communities in age-friendly design. An important aspect of age friendliness to enable daily function and health is ensuring that physical activity can occur, regardless of age, within local neighborhoods. Research Design and Methods: This study used a specific citizen science approach, Our Voice, to engage a sample (N = 13) of older adults (60 or older) in Festac Town, Nigeria. The citizen scientists' roles were to assess and identify how different aspects of the neighborhood environment act as supports or barriers to their physical activity participation. They were individually enabled using a tablet-based mobile application called the Stanford Healthy Neighborhood Discovery Tool to record a total of 156 geocoded photos and 151 commentaries of neighborhood environmental features that facilitate or hinder physical activity in and around their neighborhoods. In a guided process, the following occurred: collaborative discussions of findings with other citizen scientists to determine common targets, setting of priority targets for change, and brainstorming strategies and solutions. Results: Facilitators of physical activity included: pedestrian and traffic facilities (e.g., traffic lights, walkways); green areas and parks; multigenerational community features (e.g., programs/facilities); opportunities for social connection (e.g., neighborhood associations, churches); safety of destinations and services; and public toilets. Barriers to physical activity included: hazardous walkways/traffic; noise pollution; refuse, selling of public parks; crime (e.g., kidnapping, criminal hideouts); no safe drinking water; and ageism. The priorities for changes were social connectivity; improved pedestrian and traffic facilities; and green and beautiful environments. Discussion and Implications: In this study, both physical and social aspects of the environment were deemed important for older Nigerians to enable physical activity in their local community. This approach has a promise for age-friendly initiatives seeking local changes by meaningfully engaging older adults.

Perceived Ageism is Associated With Recurrent Falling Among Older Colombian Adults.

Literature on the association between ageism and falling among older adults is limited. Using data from the nationwide cross-sectional SABE (Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento) Colombia Survey in 2015 with 18,875 participants aged ≥60 years living in the communities, the study aims to evaluate the association between perceived ageism within the family, neighborhood, health services, and public services, and recurrent falling. Participants had a mean age of 69.2 ± 7.1; 56.1% were female. Recurrent falling prevalence was 15%, and experiencing any ageism was 10%. Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed higher odds of recurrent falling for any ageism (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.61-2.02, p < .0001). High depressive symptoms mediated 10.1% of the association between any ageism and recurrent falling, followed by low instrumental activities of daily living (9.7%) and multimorbidity (9.3%). Current findings open new areas of gerontological research by expanding the risk factors for falling among older adults to include ageism perceptions.

Reclaiming Self-Balancing on a Tightrope Across Time a grounded theory of transition to survivorship in older adult blood cancer survivors.

AIM: To develop a theoretical understanding of the transition to survivorship in older adult blood cancer survivors. DESIGN: Qualitative research employing Classic Glaserian Grounded Theory methods. METHODS: Purposive and theoretical sampling recruited 17 participants via Leukaemia & Lymphoma Society© Community webpages (65-83 years) from across the US and Canada. Data from individual semi-structured interviews using HIPPA-compliant Zoom© were analysed from September 2020 to March 2021. RESULTS: Participants' main concern was losing their sense of self and reclaiming self was the core category. The substantive theory of Reclaiming Self-Balancing on a Tightrope Across Time is a six-phase transition process to survivorship: receiving a blood cancer diagnosis, finding bearings, reclaiming self, persevering through, realizing a transition and living in a new reality. CONCLUSIONS: The transition to survivorship in older adult blood cancer survivors is a complex process because of age and disease type. IMPLICATIONS: Age-related aspects of one's sense of self and its relation to health, well-being and quality of life, as older adult blood cancer survivors advance into older age need further research. Ageism and its impact on cancer survivorship care in older adults should also be explored. IMPACT: What problem did the study address?: Existing theoretical frameworks do not explain the complex process of transition to survivorship for older adult blood cancer survivors. What were the main findings?: A substantive theory Reclaiming Self-Balancing on a Tightrope Across Time is a six-phase transition process from cancer diagnosis to survivorship characterized by an uncertain and liminal nature. Where and on whom will the research have an impact?: Understanding how older adults experience the transition to survivorship can inform age-appropriate person-centered nursing practices and healthcare policies specific to their needs. REPORTING METHOD: COREQ. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Let us move forward: Comment on "are generations a useful concept?"

Generational labels (e.g., Millennials and Baby Boomers) are widely used in daily life to represent the unique characteristics of groups of people. However, the existence of generational differences remains contentious. In their focal paper, Costanza et al. (2023) critically reviewed the literature on generational differences and proposed two future research directions: the social constructionist and lifespan development perspectives. In this commentary, we aimed to extend the proposed directions for future research on generational differences by integrating the two perspectives into one theoretical framework. Future research should investigate how proximal social relationships (e.g., intergenerational relations) and distal social norms (e.g., age norms) change over historical time and whether these historical changes shape individuals' development and aging. The theoretical framework that integrates the two proposed research directions may stimulate research on generational differences to progress beyond the concept of generations.

Perceived Ageism in Health Care: A Hybrid Concept Analysis.

Identifying perceived ageism is a critical step in eliminating ageism. This hybrid concept analysis aims to describe the concept of perceived ageism in health care. In the theoretical phase, a scoping review was conducted. In the field phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine community-dwelling older adults. In the final analytical phase, results from the theoretical phase were integrated with those from the fieldwork phase. The perceived ageism in health care includes four dimensions: self-internalization (self-denial, a sense of unease, and passivity of behavior in seeking health care), interpersonal interaction (perceived negative perceptions, neglected attitudes, and unfair care behaviors), organization system (perceived strangeness caused by unfamiliar technology, unsupportive environment, and inadequate resources), and procedure policy (perceived uniformity of healthcare process and lack of targeted practice policies). Research related to this concept has contributed to developing measurement tools for assessing perceived ageism in healthcare practice and subsequent research.

The Need to Appear Healthy: Concealment of Chronic Illness, Privacy, and Self-Sufficiency Among Chronically Ill Older Nigerians.

Background and Objectives: Prior research has highlighted the beneficial impact of social networks and social support on older adults' physical and psychosocial well-being. However, the impact of the relationship between chronic illness and social networks on the psychosocial well-being of older Nigerians remains understudied. This study explored how older Nigerians with chronic illnesses navigate the physical, mental, and emotional changes due to their chronic disease diagnosis within their social contexts. Research Design and Methods: The current qualitative study used semistructured in-depth interviews with 19 purposively sampled older adults, aged 50 years and over, chronically ill, and receiving clinical care to examine the role of social networks in how chronically ill older Nigerians cope with their diagnosis. Results: Three main themes reflecting participants' experiences emerged from the findings: (1) closely knit circles, (2) privacy and self-sufficiency, and (3) body image. Results show that chronically ill older Nigerians prefer to keep the knowledge of their conditions strictly within their close family circles. It was considered horrific to inform friends, community members, and religious groups about one's chronic illness. Findings further reveal that the need to appear healthy to one's social network stems from the fear of being discriminated against and attempts to maintain some level of normalcy when interacting with others. Additionally, feelings of inferiority and shame limited their participation in social activities and social network maintenance. Discussion and Implications: We discuss the implications of the results for the mental well-being and quality of life of chronically ill older Nigerians and make recommendations for policies and resources that can improve the well-being of chronically ill Nigerians.

Effects of age-based stereotype threat on time-based prospective memory.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a blatant activation of age-based stereotype threats (ABST) on time-based prospective memory (TBPM) in older adults. A sample of 74 adults from Hong Kong was randomly assigned to one of the two experimental conditions: the stereotyped condition (n = 36) or the neutral condition (n = 38). Participants were asked to read fictitious news reports related to dementia (stereotyped condition) or the importance of English oral skills (neutral condition). After, all participants performed a TBPM task using the Chinese lexical decision task as an ongoing task block. The results indicate a main effect of ABST on TBPM accuracy. Specifically, older adults under a blatant activation of ABST demonstrated lower TBPM accuracy (p < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.08). Further analyses based on age groups demonstrated that TBPM accuracy was only impaired in older participants (aged 70-80 years) (p < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.19). The study, for the first time, provides evidence that ABST can disrupt TBPM performance in older adults, especially when cues are blatantly activated.

Exploring pathways to successful aging among older black lesbians and sexual minority women: A focus on life satisfaction and intersectional factors.

PURPOSE: Satisfaction with life is a core aspect of successful aging, which is influenced by a broad range of factors, including health, socioeconomic status, and social relationships. Black lesbians experience various social challenges, including racism, sexism, ageism, and heterosexualism, that may present as deterrents to aging successfully. To develop better policies and programs in support of successful aging among all adults, an understanding of the unique components associated with their intersecting identities must be explored. This study was carried out to gain a better understanding of how Black lesbians and other Black sexual minority women (BSMW) view successful aging within the context of life satisfaction. METHODS: Inferential statistics were used to determine relationships between satisfaction with life (SWLS-3) and selected independent variables. Backward stepwise regression was conducted to ascertain significant relationships of the study outcome variable. RESULTS: The respondents were 118 Black lesbians and other BSMW aged 50 and above. Independent t-tests showed that those living with a partner had a significantly higher SWLS-3. Backwards stepwise regression indicated the predictor variables for higher rates of SWLS-3 to be harmony in life, annual household income, and provider sensitivity/cultural competence to their patient being Black. CONCLUSION: This study provides insight on factors increasing and diminishing satisfaction with life for aging Black lesbians and other BSMW. Future research should replicate this study with a more diverse and nationally representative sample, especially given the study limitations of having recruited a highly educated sample during a global pandemic.

Ageism webinars: a needs-based continuing education training for the national aging network.

To combat ageism, the National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging (NRCNA) launched two Ageism Webinars (AWs). The study's aims were to 1) assess the effectiveness of the AWs for increasing participants' perceived familiarity (FAM) and knowledge (KNOW) and producing high behavioral intent to implement recommended action steps and quality among participants, and 2) practice equitable evaluation by ascertaining whether outcomes were fairly achieved by participants regardless of race, age, and education. A convenience sample of mostly educated non-Hispanic females with an average age of 52 years (n = 193) completed a retrospective online survey post-webinar. A retrospective Likert scale noted an overall increase in perceived FAM and KNOW (p < 0.001). However, these changes were significantly smaller (p < 0.05) among those from historically marginalized races and ethnicities. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) items predicted high intention to complete the recommended action step following the webinars. High satisfaction for webinars was reported, with 98.7% wanting to attend future NRCNA training. This study provides evidence of an effective training modality for addressing ageist perspectives, and the demonstrated differences provide insight into how to improve the AWs and the evaluation of future webinars.

Person, People, Planet: Eco-Systematic Analysis of Older Adults' Experiences of Engagement with Nature and Discourse About Nature.

This study combined ecological, environmental, nature-based, and epistemic interpretations of older adulthood to gain a previously unresearched look at how older adults feel that their relations with nature are treated by others. Sixty older adults were interviewed in-depth, and data was analyzed using the Eco-Appreciation framework and Thematic Content Analysis. The results indicate the concurrence of processes of withdrawal of older adults from spaces of nature and discourse about nature. These processes obstruct older adults' wellbeing; entail the infliction of existential epistemic injustices and "eco-ageism" toward them; and emphasize the crucial role social work can play in responding thereto.

[Ethics of a long life]. / Ethik des langen Lebens.

The increase in average life expectancy that has taken place since 1850 and is continuing globally to the present day can be seen as a major achievement of civilization. However, many are skeptical about demographic change and the continuing trend of increasing life expectancy beyond current limits. The reasons for this lie in deeply rooted cultural attitudes towards old age and the elderly.This article counters these attitudes with principles for a long life that emphasize the benefits of the first revolution of life extension. Research should be promoted that can ensure this gain and holds out the prospect of a further extension of the human lifespan as a result of a second revolution.

Translation and validation of ageism scale for dental students into Malay language.

AIMS: Identifying ageism among dental students is essential in gerodontology courses. This study aimed to perform a preliminary validation of a Malay version of the ageism scale for dental students (ASDS-My). METHODS AND RESULTS: The 27-item ASDS were translated into Malay language and completed by 168 dental students. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with Promax rotation, Polychoric Correlation Matrix and Principal Axis Factoring was conducted. Internal consistency reliability and discriminative validity were analysed. Criterion validity was measured by comparing ASDS-My with Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA). A Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin of 0.612 and a Bartlett's Test of Sphericity yielding p < .001 confirmed the adequate factorability. EFA revealed a 15-items scale distributed into five-factors explaining 54.5% of overall variance, with acceptable reliability. The two factors involved cost-benefit of dental treatment on older patients and challenges during medical history taking. The third, fourth and fifth factors explained attitude towards older patients, negative views of older patients and exposure of dental students to Gerodontology training and experiences respectively. Most factors were significantly positively related to FSA. Discriminative validity revealed significant differences for gender, place of stay and year of study. CONCLUSION: Preliminary validation of the ASDS-My produced a five-factors 15-items scale with acceptable validity and reliability.