ageism

Ageism is a widespread but often overlooked form of discrimination that can manifest both positively and negatively in healthcare. In clinical practice, discriminatory attitudes towards older adult can impact the quality and equality of medical care. Empathy plays a crucial role in mitigating such biases among physicians. This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of family physicians toward age discrimination and to assess the relationship between these attitudes and physicians’ empathy levels, along with the influence of various sociodemographic factors. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and August 2021 among family physicians, residents, and specialists working in Samsun, Turkey. Data were collected via online, phone, or face-to-face surveys using the Attitude Scale of Age Discrimination (ASAD) and the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy – Health Professional version (JSPE-HP). A total of 299 physicians participated. Participants exhibited high levels of empathy (mean JSPE: 81.6±9.49) and generally positive attitudes toward older adults (mean ASAD: 88.19±8.65). Age, gender, and professional experience significantly influenced both empathy and ageism scores. Older, female, and more experienced physicians showed more empathetic and less ageist attitudes. A statistically significant, low-level positive correlation was found between empathy and positive attitudes toward older adults.

Background/Aim: Ageism can influence the quality of geriatric dental care, yet evidence among dental students remains inconsistent across cohorts. This study compares ageism between students at two institutions within the same district sharing identical training requirements and evaluated the questionnaire's internal consistency. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the 15-item, six-component ageism questionnaire was administered online to 100 undergraduate dental students (65 from Institution 1; 35 from Institution 2). Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha; Welch's t-tests compared institutions, with a Bonferroni-adjusted significance level ≤ 0.008 for the six component comparisons. Results: The mean total score was 48.81 (SD 5.83). Overall internal consistency was weak (α = 0.521). The total score did not differ significantly between institutions (48.58 vs. 49.23; t (54.12) = 0.48, p = 0.634), and no component difference was observed with Bonferroni adjustment. Conclusions: Ageist attitudes did not differ between institutions, but the questionnaire's weak overall reliability limits interpretation. Larger samples, confirmatory factor analysis, and testing of measurement invariance are warranted.

The rise of senior influencers on social media is contributing to the reconfiguration of public representations of ageing, challenging ageist stereotypes, and promoting more positive representations of later life. This study explores the emergence of older influencers in Spain, their role in negotiating ageist representations, and in fostering a more inclusive digital environment. An exploratory-descriptive study was conducted, analysing 40 older influencers active on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X. Impact metrics were assessed using Social Blade and Fan Page Karma. Content analysis of 20,370 coded contributions and 12,009 comments identified key attributes and instances of ageist language. Results indicate that Instagram is the dominant platform for women aged +55 focused on fashion, while TikTok is preferred by influencers aged +75 for humorous content. Influencers on X engage with smaller, niche audiences through written posts, whereas Instagram enables broader reach with visually appealing content. Female influencers often employ self-deprecating humour to challenge age and gender stereotypes. Their growing presence highlights the capabilities of older people, offering alternative narratives of later life and social inclusion. This study's strengths lie in its multi-platform approach and the combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses, which provide a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of senior influencers in Spain. These findings underscore the need for further research into the potential of older influencers as advocates for a more age diverse digital culture.

ظهور اینفلوئنسرهای سالمند در شبکه‌های اجتماعی به بازپیکربندی بازنمایی‌های عمومی از سالمندی، به چالش کشیدن کلیشه‌های سن‌گرایانه و ترویج بازنمایی‌های مثبت‌تر از زندگی در سنین بالا کمک می‌کند. این پژوهش به بررسی ظهور اینفلوئنسرهای سالمند در اسپانیا، نقش آن‌ها در مذاکره با بازنمایی‌های سن‌گرایانه و همچنین تقویت محیط دیجیتال فراگیرتر می‌پردازد. یک مطالعه اکتشافی-توصیفی انجام شد که در آن ۴۰ اینفلوئنسر سالمند فعال در اینستاگرام، تیک‌تاک، یوتیوب و X مورد تحلیل قرار گرفتند. شاخص‌های تأثیرگذاری با استفاده از Social Blade و Fan Page Karma ارزیابی شد. تحلیل محتوای ۲۰٬۳۷۰ مشارکت کدگذاری‌شده و ۱۲٬۰۰۹ نظر، ویژگی‌های کلیدی و نمونه‌های زبان سن‌گرایانه را شناسایی کرد. نتایج نشان می‌دهد اینستاگرام پلتفرم غالب برای زنان بالای ۵۵ سال با تمرکز بر مد است، در حالی که تیک‌تاک توسط اینفلوئنسرهای بالای ۷۵ سال برای محتوای طنزآمیز ترجیح داده می‌شود. اینفلوئنسرهای X با مخاطبان کوچک‌تر و خاص‌تر از طریق پست‌های نوشتاری تعامل دارند، در حالی که اینستاگرام امکان دسترسی گسترده‌تر با محتوای بصری جذاب را فراهم می‌کند. اینفلوئنسرهای زن اغلب از طنز خودانتقادی برای به چالش کشیدن کلیشه‌های سنی و جنسیتی استفاده می‌کنند. حضور رو به رشد آن‌ها توانمندی‌های سالمندان را برجسته کرده و روایت‌های جایگزینی از زندگی در سنین بالا و شمول اجتماعی ارائه می‌دهد. نقاط قوت این پژوهش در رویکرد چندپلتفرمی و ترکیب تحلیل‌های کمی و کیفی است که درک جامع و ظریفی از اینفلوئنسرهای سالمند در اسپانیا ارائه می‌دهد. این یافته‌ها بر لزوم پژوهش‌های بیشتر درباره ظرفیت اینفلوئنسرهای سالمند به عنوان مدافعان فرهنگی دیجیتال متنوع از نظر سنی تأکید می‌کند.