Nursing Students' Perceptions on a Pain Management E- Learning Module: An Exploratory Quantitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students are graduating ill-prepared to assess and manage pain in older adults. To address this gap, we developed an e-learning module on the topic. AIM: To examine nursing students' perceptions on a pain management e-learning module focused on older adults. METHODS: Utilizing an exploratory quantitative design, we assessed nursing students' perceptions of the e-learning module. We used a feedback survey (four 5-point, Likert-type items) and one open-ended question to assess students' perceptions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize students' perceptions and demographic characteristics. Responses to the open-ended question were content analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 181 of 249 students completed the module, of whom two-thirds were female. Students perceived that the module enhanced their knowledge, confidence, and perception in working with older people. Students also found the method of instruction interactive and enjoyable. CONCLUSIONS: The e-learning module on pain management was viewed by nursing students to be helpful and its interactive method of learning improved their knowledge, confidence, and perceptions of working with older adults in pain.

Why is concealment associated with health and wellbeing? An investigation of potential mechanisms.

RATIONALE: Many members of stigmatized groups face health and wellbeing deficits relative to their non-stigmatized peers. Ample evidence suggests that one method used by some members of stigmatized groups to manage the stigma they face-concealing their stigmatized identities-may contribute to these health and wellbeing disparities. However, precisely why concealment may contribute to these disparities is less clear. OBJECTIVE: The present work seeks to identify and distinguish between plausible explanations for why concealment may contribute to worse health and wellbeing. METHODS: In the present work, we explore a large number of plausible mechanisms that may explain why concealment is associated with worse health and wellbeing. In three studies (N = 2304) using cross-sectional (Studies 1 and 2) and longitudinal (Study 3) methods, participants were recruited from an online recruitment pool (Studies 1-3) and from an institutional recruitment pool (Study 2). Participants reported on their concealment, health and wellbeing, and constructs related to plausible explanations for the relationships between concealment and health and wellbeing. RESULTS: We find that concealment is associated with worse health and wellbeing, with generally small effect sizes. We further find that lower feelings of belonging, less social support, and lower self-esteem are the most plausible mechanisms for explaining why concealment is associated with worse health and wellbeing. When between- and within-subjects effects were distinguishable (i.e., Study 3), we observed only between-subjects relationships. CONCLUSION: Because people's choices to engage in self-protection through concealment should be respected, potential avenues for intervention to reduce minority health disparities may be more appropriately targeted at the mechanisms that account for why concealment may undermine health and wellbeing than at concealment itself. The present work makes strides towards identifying those mechanisms and thus towards addressing them.

Same view, different lens: How intersectional identities reduce Americans' stereotypes of threat regarding Arab and Black men.

Because Black and Arab men may be stereotyped as hostile in different ways (i.e., physical vs. ideological), this study assessed whether an old age identity versus gay identity would reduce stereotypes related to hostility for Black and Arab men differently. We assessed whether the addition of an old age identity reduces hostile stereotype content more for Black men than for Arab men. In line with our hypothesis, an old age identity resulted in participants reporting fewer hostile stereotypes for Black men, but not for Arab men. We also assessed whether a gay identity reduces hostile stereotype content in the same way for Black and Arab men. As expected, a gay identity resulted in participants reporting fewer hostile stereotypes for both male groups. The present study demonstrates the importance of considering intersecting identities in person perception and highlights the unique challenges faced by men belonging to these intersecting groups.

Nursing Students' Views on an e-Learning Activity About Health Promotion for Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: Nurses are graduating ill-prepared to work with older adults across care contexts. The education nursing students receive about older adults often focuses on managing illnesses rather than promoting health. To expand the education that nursing students receive regarding health promotion and older adults, we examined nursing students' perceptions of an e-learning activity on health promotion with older adults. METHOD: We used a cross-sectional survey design. We included first-year baccalaureate nursing students (N = 260) at a Canadian university. Students were required to complete the module, but only those who wanted to participate in the study completed the survey (n = 167; response rate = 64.2%). We used a feedback survey to assess students' perceptions of the e-learning activity using four 5-point, Likert-type items. We also asked one open-ended question to solicit participants' feedback and suggestions for improving the e-learning activity. Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean [SD]) were used to summarize participants' perceptions and demographic characteristics. Content analysis was used to explore responses to the open-ended question. RESULTS: Participants reported that the module increased their knowledge about health promotion, as well as their perceptions and confidence in working with older adults. Participants also found the method of instruction interactive and enjoyable. CONCLUSION: Our e-learning activity on health promotion was perceived by nursing students as helpful in sensitizing them to their role in promoting health among older adults. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(3), 19-24.].

Using Twitter to Understand COVID-19 Vaccine-Related Ageism During the Pandemic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: During the rollout of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, older adults in high-income countries were often prioritized for inoculation in efforts to reduce COVID-19-related mortality. However, this prioritization may have contributed to intergenerational tensions and ageism, particularly with the limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines. This study examines Twitter discourse to understand vaccine-related ageism during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform future vaccination policies and practices to reduce ageism. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We collected 1,369 relevant tweets on Twitter using the Twint application in Python from December 8, 2020, to December 31, 2021. Tweets were analyzed using thematic analysis, and steps were taken to ensure rigor. RESULTS: Our research identified four main themes including (a) blame and hostility: "It's all their fault"; (b) incompetence and misinformation: "clueless boomer"; (c) ageist political slander; and (d) combatting ageism: advocacy and accessibility. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings exposed issues of victim-blaming, hate speech, pejorative content, and ageist political slander that is deepening the divide of intergenerational conflict. Although a subset of tweets countered negative outcomes and demonstrated intergenerational solidarity, our findings suggest that ageism may have contributed to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among older adults. Consequently, urgent action is needed to counter vaccine misinformation, prohibit aggressive messaging, and promote intergenerational unity during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The gendered nature of Muslim and Christian stereotypes in the United States.

Despite the increasing diversity of religious affiliations in the United States, little research has explored the nature and structure of religious stereotypes of Muslims in America. The present research explores the gendered dimensions of stereotypes of both Muslims and Christians, using a multimethod approach. In Study 1, participants engaged in visual representations of intersectional and superordinate identities using Venn diagrams and slider tasks. Study 2 elicited open trait listings for religious, gender, and intersectional groups, with the most common traits reported for each group. In a conceptual replication, Study 3 asked participants to rate each group for the applicability of the most common traits identified in Study 2. Across the three studies, we found clear and consistent support for intersectionality effects. Unique stereotypic traits were identified for each intersectional group that were not present in either religious or gender superordinate identity. Stereotypes of Christians as a superordinate group contained a balanced representation of Christian men and Christian women traits. In contrast, Muslim stereotypes were strongly influenced by androcentric assumptions, with approximately 80% of the traits ascribed to Muslims overlapping with those of Muslim men. In addition, Muslim women were rated as significantly different from both Muslims and Muslim men on all trait evaluations. This was not observed with Christians, who showed little differentiation by gender. This research provides a rare systematic analysis of the gendered nature of religious stereotypes of Christians and Muslims and contributes to the developing literature on intersectionality and prototypicality.

E-learning modules to enhance student nurses' perceptions of older people: a single group pre-post quasi-experimental study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether e-learning activities on cognitive impairment (CI), continence and mobility (CM) and understanding and communication (UC) improve student nurses' knowledge and attitudes in the care of older adults. METHODS: A quasi-experimental single group pre-post-test design was used. We included 299 undergraduate nursing students for the CI module, 304 for the CM module, and 313 for the UC module. We administered knowledge quizzes, Likert scales, and a feedback survey to measure student nurses' knowledge, ageist beliefs, and feedback on the modules respectively. RESULTS: Participants demonstrated significantly more knowledge and reduced ageist attitudes following the e-learning activities. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that e-learning activities on cognitive impairment, continence and mobility, and understanding and communication improve knowledge and reduce ageist attitudes among nursing students.

Which Identities Are Concealable? Individual Differences in Concealability.

Concealment is a common and consequential identity management strategy. But which identities are concealable? In three studies (n = 468; obs = 4,068), we find substantial individual differences in which identities people experience as concealable. These individual differences in concealability manifest as Person × Identity interactions, such that people experience varying levels of concealability for each of their individual identities. In two additional studies (n = 465; obs = 3,784), we find that these individual differences predict the frequency and efficacy of concealment. We conclude that it is inaccurate to label entire categories of identities as either concealable or conspicuous and urge intergroup researchers to consider people's unique experiences of concealability. Pre-registrations for Studies 1 to 4 and open materials, code, and data for all studies are available on the Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/m95qu/.

Understanding Intersectional Ageism and Stigma of Dementia: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Ageism and stigma reduce the quality of life of older adults living with dementia. However, there is a paucity of literature addressing the intersection and combined effects of ageism and stigma of dementia. This intersectionality, rooted in the social determinants of health (ie, social support and access to health care), compounds health disparities and is, therefore, an important area of inquiry. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review protocol outlines a methodology that will be used to examine ageism and stigma confronting older adults living with dementia. The aim of this scoping review will be to identify the definitional components, indicators, and measures used to track and evaluate the impact of ageism and stigma of dementia. More specifically, this review will focus on examining the commonalities and differences in definitions and measures to develop a better understanding of intersectional ageism and stigma of dementia as well as the current state of the literature. METHODS: Guided by Arksey and O'Malley's 5-stage framework, our scoping review will be conducted by searching 6 electronic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase) and a web-based search engine (ie, Google Scholar). Reference lists of relevant journal articles will be hand-searched to identify additional articles. The results from our scoping review will be presented using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews) checklist. RESULTS: This scoping review protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework on January 17, 2023. Data collection and analysis and manuscript writing will occur from March to September 2023. The target date for manuscript submission will be October 2023. Findings from our scoping review will be disseminated through various means, such as journal articles, webinars, national networks, and conference presentations. CONCLUSIONS: Our scoping review will summarize and compare the core definitions and measures used to understand ageism and stigma toward older adults with dementia. This is significant because there is limited research addressing the intersectionality of ageism and stigma of dementia. Accordingly, findings from our study may provide critical knowledge and insight to help inform future research, programs, and policies to address intersectional ageism and stigma of dementia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework; https://osf.io/yt49k. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/46093.

Older adults' perceptions of ageism before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Studies assessing the effects of ageism on older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that perceiving ageism is associated with lower self-reported mental and physical health. Yet, it remains unknown whether these pandemic associations are distinct from pre-pandemic associations. The present study addressed this issue by controlling for pre-pandemic levels of ageism and mental and physical health in order to assess which pandemic-era experiences of ageism predict well-being in older people. METHOD: Both prior to and during the pandemic, 117 older adults completed measures of perceived ageism, self-perceptions of aging, subjective age, subjective health, and life satisfaction. RESULTS: During the pandemic, perceived ageism predicted lower subjective health and life satisfaction. However, when controlling for pre-pandemic measures, perceived ageism during the pandemic predicted only subjective health but not life satisfaction. Perceptions of continued growth positively predicted both measures across most analyses. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest caution when interpreting the effects of ageism on well-being during the pandemic, as those associations may already have existed pre-pandemic. The finding that perceptions of continued growth positively predicted subjective health and life satisfaction suggests that promoting more positive self-perceptions of aging, along with combatting ageism in society, may represent important policy objectives.

Do Beliefs That Older Adults Are Inflexible Serve as a Barrier to Racial Equality?

Past research has demonstrated that older adults are stereotyped as less malleable than young adults. Moreover, beliefs that people are less malleable are associated with lower confrontations of prejudice, as perpetrators are seen as less capable of changing their (prejudiced) behavior. The present research sought to integrate these lines of research to demonstrate that endorsement of ageist beliefs that older adults are less malleable will lead to a lower confrontation of anti-Black prejudice espoused by older adults. Across four experimental studies (N = 1,573), people were less likely to confront anti-Black prejudice espoused by an 82-year-old compared with a 62-, 42-, or 20-year-old, due, in part, to beliefs that older adults are less malleable. Further exploration demonstrated that malleability beliefs about older adults were held across young, middle-aged, and older adult samples. These findings demonstrate how stereotypes about older adults can impede racial equality.

Ageism against Older Adults: How do Intersecting Identities Influence Perceptions of Ageist Behaviors?

Most ageism research has focused on prejudice against older people without considering their multiple intersecting identities. We investigated perceptions of ageist acts that targeted older individuals with intersecting racial (Black/White) and gender identities (men/women). Both young (18-29) and older (65+) adult Americans evaluated the acceptability of a variety of instances of hostile and benevolent ageism. Replicating prior work, benevolent ageism was seen as more acceptable compared to hostile ageism, and young adults rated ageist acts as more acceptable than older adults. Small intersectional identity effects were observed such that young adult participants perceived older White men to be the most acceptable targets of hostile ageism. Our research suggests that ageism is viewed differently depending on the age of the perceiver and the type of behavior exhibited. These findings also suggest intersectional memberships should be considered, but further research is needed given the relatively small effect sizes.

Perceptions of women who confront hostile and benevolent sexism.

Little is known about the differences between confronting explicitly negative (hostile) vs. subjectively positive (benevolent) forms of sexism. Across three studies (N = 1315), we test a) whether confronting benevolent sexism is more costly for women than confronting hostile sexism and b) whether confronting some subtypes of benevolent sexism are more costly than others. We compared confrontations and non-confrontations of hostile sexism, benevolent sexism involving complementary gender differentiation (CGD), and benevolent sexism involving protective paternalism (PP). Surprisingly, confronting benevolent sexism was not more costly than confronting hostile sexism; a finding that replicated across studies and in two different contexts. Confronters of PP were evaluated more positively than confronters of CGD, but only when CGD embodied themes of gender essentialism (i.e., beliefs that men and women are naturally different). Confronters were mostly evaluated favorably relative to non-confronters and especially among women. Results imply that confronting benevolent sexism may have fewer consequences than anticipated.

Explicit and Implicit Gender-Related Stereotyping in Transgender, Gender Expansive, and Cisgender Adults.

Little is known about gender-related stereotyping among transgender and gender expansive adults. Using the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (AIS; Glick & Fiske, 1996), we examined explicit gender attitudes in 3298 cisgender, transgender, and gender expansive respondents designated female at birth (FAB; n = 1976 cisgender, n = 108 transgender, n = 188 gender expansive) and male at birth (MAB; n = 922 cisgender, n = 52 transgender, n = 52 gender expansive). In order to learn more about implicit gender-related stereotyping, a subset of 822 participants (FAB; n = 445 cisgender, n = 32 transgender, n = 51 gender expansive. MAB; n = 254 cisgender, n = 21 transgender, n = 19 gender expansive) completed the gender-leadership Implicit Association Test (IAT; Dasgupta & Asgari, 2004). Cisgender men scored significantly higher than all other groups on hostile sexism, but patterns of endorsement for benevolent sexism and implicit attitudes were more nuanced, with cisgender women and gender expansive FAB often scoring significantly below other groups. We observed that transgender men and transgender women, along with cisgender men and gender expansive MAB, moderately endorsed essentialist views regarding differences between men and women (i.e., complementary gender differentiation). These data reveal novel patterns of gender-related stereotyping, with some corresponding to sex designated at birth and others corresponding to current gender identification. Together, these findings suggest that one's experienced gender, designated sex at birth, and the intersection between them may relate to gender stereotyping, underscoring the importance of including transgender and gender expansive individuals in this research.

Using Twitter to Examine Stigma Against People With Dementia During COVID-19: Infodemiology Study.

BACKGROUND: During the pandemic, there has been significant social media attention focused on the increased COVID-19 risks and impacts for people with dementia and their care partners. However, these messages can perpetuate misconceptions, false information, and stigma. OBJECTIVE: This study used Twitter data to understand stigma against people with dementia propagated during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We collected 1743 stigma-related tweets using the GetOldTweets application in Python from February 15 to September 7, 2020. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the tweets. RESULTS: Based on our analysis, 4 main themes were identified: (1) ageism and devaluing the lives of people with dementia, (2) misinformation and false beliefs about dementia and COVID-19, (3) dementia used as an insult for political ridicule, and (4) challenging stigma against dementia. Social media has been used to spread stigma, but it can also be used to challenge negative beliefs, stereotypes, and false information. CONCLUSIONS: Dementia education and awareness campaigns are urgently needed on social media to address COVID-19-related stigma. When stigmatizing discourse on dementia is widely shared and consumed amongst the public, it has public health implications. How we talk about dementia shapes how policymakers, clinicians, and the public value the lives of people with dementia. Stigma perpetuates misinformation, pejorative language, and patronizing attitudes that can lead to discriminatory actions, such as the limited provision of lifesaving supports and health services for people with dementia during the pandemic. COVID-19 policies and public health messages should focus on precautions and preventive measures rather than labeling specific population groups.

Ageist Communication Experienced by Middle-Aged and Older Canadians.

Ageism has been well-documented in the United States, but ageism experiences in Canada remain less well-known. To address this gap, in the current research middle-aged and older Canadians completed a conversational interview in which they described their ageism experiences. Their descriptions were coded for life domain, perpetrator, and type of ageist communication. The most common domain in which ageist communication occurred was the public sphere, with perpetrators most often being strangers. Ageist communication most often involved age-based social or physical assumptions about the participant. In combination, these findings detail how ageism manifests in the everyday lives of Canadians and contribute to understanding the nuances of the expression of ageism in North America.

Subjective Identity Concealability and the Consequences of Fearing Identity-Based Judgment.

In intergroup contexts, people may fear being judged negatively because of an identity they hold. For some, the prospect of concealment offers an opportunity to attenuate this fear. Therefore, believing an identity is concealable may minimize people's fears of identity-based judgment. Here, we explore the construct of subjective identity concealability: the belief that an identity one holds is concealable from others. Across four pre-registered studies and a set of internal meta-analyses, we develop and validate a scale to measure individual differences in subjective identity concealability and provide evidence that it is associated with lower levels of the psychological costs of fearing judgment in intergroup contexts. Open materials, data, and code for all studies, pre-registrations for Studies 1-4, and online supplementary materials can be found at the following link: https://osf.io/pzcf9/.

Awakening Canadians to ageism: a study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Making fun of growing older is considered socially acceptable, yet ageist humour reinforces negative stereotypes that growing old is linked with physical and mental deterioration, dependence, and less social value. Such stereotypes and discrimination affect the wellbeing of older people, the largest demographic of Canadians. While ageism extends throughout professions and social institutions, we expect nurses-the largest and most trusted group of healthcare professionals-to provide non-ageist care to older people. Unfortunately, nurses working with older people often embrace ageist beliefs and nursing education programs do not address sufficient anti-ageism content despite gerontological nursing standards and competencies. METHODS: To raise awareness of ageism in Canada, this quasi-experimental study will be supported by partnerships between older Canadians, advocacy organizations, and academic gerontological experts which will serve as an advisory group. The study, guided by social learning theory, will unfold in two parts. In Phase 1, we will use student nurses as a test case to determine if negative stereotypes and ageist perceptions can be addressed through three innovative e-learning activities. The activities employ gamification, videos, and simulations to: (1) provide accurate general information about older people, (2) model management of responsive behaviours in older people with cognitive impairment, and (3) dispel negative stereotypes about older people as dependent and incontinent. In Phase 2, the test case findings will be shared with the advisory group to develop a range of knowledge mobilization strategies to dispel ageism among healthcare professionals and the public. We will implement key short term strategies. DISCUSSION: Findings will generate knowledge on the effectiveness of the e-learning activities in improving student nurses' perceptions about older people. The e-learning learning activities will help student nurses acquire much-needed gerontological knowledge and skills. The strength of this project is in its plan to engage a wide array of stakeholders who will mobilize the phase I findings and advocate for positive perspectives and accurate knowledge about aging-older Canadians, partner organizations (Canadian Gerontological Nurses Association, CanAge, AgeWell), and gerontological experts.

Unwanted help: Accepting versus declining ageist behavior affects impressions of older adults.

What are the consequences for older adults who confront ageism and the perpetrators who engage in ageist behaviors? We compared young (n = 265), middle-aged (n = 338), and older adults' (n = 235) impressions of an older target and the perpetrator of an ageist action. Participants read a vignette about a pedestrian offering unwanted help to an older woman crossing the street. We manipulated the type of ageism (benevolent or hostile), the reaction of the older target (acceptance, moderate confrontation, or strong confrontation) and assessed perceptions of perpetrator appropriateness and how evaluations of warmth, competence, and overall impression of the target changed over time. The perpetrator's act of benevolent ageism was perceived to be more appropriate than hostile ageism, and middle-aged and older adult participants reported the benevolent act to be more acceptable than young participants. This finding supports an age stereotype assimilation account. For target perceptions, accepting a hostile ageist behavior led to lower warmth and competence ratings but accepting benevolent ageism reduced warmth but not competence evaluations. Age differences in target perceptions were predicted by social identity theory, in that older adults rated the older target more positively overall. Perceptions of targets who confronted varied by type of ageism and the intensity of the confrontation. When participants perceived the target's reaction to be disproportionate to the ageist act, the target was viewed more negatively overall. The findings suggest that ageism directed toward older adults is perceived to be normative by adults of all ages and that confrontations of ageist behavior result in negative perceptions of the older target. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).