Introduction
The essay will examine Ageism as a complex public health issue. It will explore the complex causes of ageism, its effects on healthcare, mental health, and social integration, and how globalisation, international policies, and other factors shape age-related perceptions and realities. It will even emphasise the need for global, coordinated efforts to address this urgent issue.
Ageism as a Global Public Health Issue
Ageism is widespread and harmful to public health. It affects half the global population, resulting in poor physical and mental health, lower quality of life, and high societal costs. It affects health, social care, employment, media, and law. A 2020 study found that age influenced medical procedure allocation in 85% of cases, indicating age-based healthcare rationing (World Health Organization, 2021). Younger people are also discriminated against in employment, training, and politics due to ageism.
Ageism contributes to poorer physical and mental health, social isolation, financial insecurity, lower quality of life, and premature death in older adults. It causes an estimated 6.3 million depression cases worldwide, highlighting its impact on mental health (World Health Organization, 2021). It costs a lot financially. In the US, negative age stereotypes and self-perceptions increased healthcare costs by $63 billion and in Australia, hiring more 55-year-olds could boost the economy by AUD$48 billion (World Health Organization, 2021). These findings show that ageism is a global health issue that requires multifaceted solutions.
Ageism and Globalization
Ageism has both increased and decreased due to globalisation. International migration of healthcare professionals meets the growing healthcare needs of ageing populations like the UK (Khan, 2019). However, this migration often leaves low- and middle-income countries without specialised healthcare workers, affecting their ageing populations. Global forces influence government policies that affect older people’s healthcare access. International organisations and debt repayment programmes affect elderly healthcare funding and affordability in low-income countries.
Globalisation has also increased tobacco and fast food availability, promoting unhealthy lifestyles. International advertising and brands have influenced individual behaviour, contributing to non-communicable diseases in old age (Saleem et al., 2022). Globalisation makes it harder to ensure healthy life expectancy. The complex relationship between globalisation and ageism affects older people’s health worldwide.
Global Health Governance and Ageism
The WHO’s Global report on ageism includes recommendations for governments, UN agencies, civil society organisations, and the private sector to reduce ageism (JD, 2022). Due to its prevalence, negative effects on health and wellbeing, and influence on social values and policymaking, the WHO urges ageism to be addressed. The WHO’s first global report on ageism provides a framework for evidence-based action and outlines effective strategies to combat ageism, including policy, educational interventions, and intergenerational activities.
The 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and Political Declaration brought ageism to international politics and policy (Formosa and Shankardass, 2022). However, workplace discrimination was initially prioritised. In May 2016, WHO member states adopted Resolution WHA69.3 to address ageism’s impact on policy development and health (Formosa and Shankardass, 2022). A Global Campaign to Combat Ageism was proposed in this resolution.
The 2021–2030 UN Decade of Healthy Ageing reaffirmed the commitment to combat ageism (Khallouf, 2023). It promotes collaboration between governments, civil society, international agencies, professionals, academia, media, and the private sector. Through consultation, its action plan includes combating ageism as a key area for creating age-friendly communities, providing person-centered care, and providing quality long-term care.
Ageism and its health and social impacts are becoming more widely recognised, prompting these global efforts. Progress has been made, but this complex and pervasive issue requires ongoing and concerted efforts.
Influencing Factors
Social stereotypes and discrimination against older adults often cause ageism. This worsens global mental health disparities among older people. Social perceptions and stereotypes perpetuate ageist attitudes, so interventions to improve older adults’ well-being and quality of life must address them. Ageism also affects employment greatly. Age discrimination in employment is evident in OECD countries, where 40-70% of long-term unemployed are 45–50 (Mourshed, 2021). This bias is global, suggesting ageism is an economic problem too. Similarly, Political decisions and policies can affect how countries respond to ageism and allocate resources for healthcare and social services for older people. Strategies and policies to combat ageism require political will and commitment. Finally, Environment is crucial to healthy ageing. For example, Geroscience research suggests that early environmental changes can significantly affect ageing trajectories (Belsky and Baccarelli, 2023). Environmental factors can prevent or delay aging-related diseases and disabilities, improving health equity for ageing populations.
Conclusion
Ageism affects mental health, healthcare disparities, and social exclusion worldwide, as the essay has highlighted. The interaction of globalisation complicates its landscape. Global health governance and international policies have helped fight ageism, but more is needed. Ageism clearly threatens global health and requires immediate and coordinated action. Better international policies, innovative social and healthcare strategies, and a better understanding of ageism’s causes should be the focus of future research making it a crucial topic for a healthcare assignment.
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References
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Formosa, M. and Shankardass, M.K., 2022. Introduction: The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. In The United Nations Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (pp. 3-14). Routledge India.
JD, D., 2022. Ageism: Where it comes from and what it does. Ageism: Where It Comes From and What It Does (Oakland CA: Older Persons’ Rights Project, 2022).
Khallouf, C., 2023. Advancing Health and Well-being of Older Persons at the United Nations and Beyond: An integrated and multi-stakeholder perspective. APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY AROUND THE WORLD, p.95.
Khan, H.T., 2019. Population ageing in a globalized world: Risks and dilemmas?. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice, 25(5), pp.754-760.
Mourshed, M. (2021) The Economic Impact of Ageism, McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/social-responsibility/the-economic-impact-of-ageism (Accessed: 22 November 2023).
Saleem, S.M., Bhattacharya, S. and Deshpande, N., 2022. Non-communicable diseases, type 2 diabetes, and influence of front of package nutrition labels on consumer’s behaviour: Reformulations and future scope. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, 16(2), p.102422.
World Health Organization (2021) Ageism is a global challenge: UN. Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/18-03-2021-ageism-is-a-global-challenge-un#:~:text=Ageism%20seeps%20into%20many%20institutions,certain%20medical%20procedures%20or%20treatments (Accessed: 22 November 2023).