Age-Based Healthcare Stereotype Threat during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
J Gerontol Soc Work
; 64(6): 571-584, 2021 Sep.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1177174
ABSTRACT
Older adults have been identified as a high-risk population for COVID-19 by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Though well-intentioned, this nonspecific designation highlights stereotypes of older adults as frail and in need of protection, exacerbating negative age-based stereotypes that can have adverse effects on older adults' well-being. Healthcare stereotype threat (HCST) is concern about being judged by providers and receiving biased medical treatment based on stereotypes about one's identity - in this case age. Given the attention to older adults' physical vulnerabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults may be especially worried about age-based judgments from medical providers and sensitive to ageist attitudes about COVID-19. Online data collection (April 13 to May 15, 2020) with adults aged 50 and older (N = 2325, M = 63.11, SD = 7.53) examined age-based HCST. Respondents who worried that healthcare providers judged them based on age (n = 584) also reported more negative COVID-19 reactions, including perceived indifference toward older adults, young adults' lack of concern about health, and unfavorable media coverage of older adults. The results highlight the intersection of two pandemics COVID-19 and ageism. We close with consideration of the clinical implications of the results.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Stereotyping
/
Attitude of Health Personnel
/
Ageism
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
J Gerontol Soc Work
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
01634372.2021.1904080
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS