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Open Access 01-06-2021 | COVID-19 | Original Investigation

Ageism and older people’s health and well-being during the Covid-19-pandemic: the moderating role of subjective aging

Authors: Anna E. Kornadt, Isabelle Albert, Martine Hoffmann, Elke Murdock, Josepha Nell

Published in: European Journal of Ageing | Issue 2/2021

Abstract

In the Covid-19 pandemic, being older means being in a special focus: Probabilities for severe infections and mortality rise with increasing age and protective measures for this population group have been increased. This was accompanied by public discourse that portrayed older adults stereotypically as vulnerable and frail but also highlighted the hardships younger people have to endure to protect them. Given the possibly detrimental effects of ageism on individuals and societies, we were interested in older adults’ perception of ageism in the Corona-crisis and its relation to their health and well-being. Furthermore, we were interested in subjective aging variables as moderators in the ageism–health relationship. In June 2020, N = 611 independently living people aged 60 + from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg were recruited via a survey research institute and interviewed online or by phone. They reported on perceived ageism in different contexts, their life satisfaction, subjective health, subjective age and self-perceptions of aging. Depending on context, ageism was perceived by around 20% of participants, and overall negatively related to subjective health and life satisfaction after the onset of the pandemic. Moderated hierarchical regressions showed that a younger subjective age buffered the negative effect of ageism on subjective health, while perceiving aging as social loss increased its effect on life satisfaction. We discuss the importance of addressing and reducing ageism (not only) in times of crisis and the consequences for individuals and societies.

We also assessed perceived ageism in the work context. However, due to the fact that 90% of our participants were already retired, this domain was not relevant for most and thus, n = 372 participants (61%) did not report on this item. Therefore, we excluded this item from the index. Results did not differ for both versions of the index.

Results for both regression analyses did not change when including gender, education, living situation (alone vs. with others) and survey mode as additional covariates.

We thank an anonymous reviewer for pointing out this important point.

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Title: Ageism and older people’s health and well-being during the Covid-19-pandemic: the moderating role of subjective aging
Authors: Anna E. Kornadt
Isabelle Albert
Martine Hoffmann
Elke Murdock
Josepha Nell
Publication date: 01-06-2021
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Keyword: COVID-19
Published in: European Journal of Ageing / Issue 2/2021
Print ISSN: 1613-9372
Electronic ISSN: 1613-9380
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-021-00624-8

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Ageism and older people’s health and well-being during the Covid-19-pandemic: the moderating role of subjective aging

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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