THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN AGEISM AND SUBJECTIVE AGE OF OLDER PEOPLE IN EUROPE

Year 2010, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 99 - 109, 01.06.2010

Moritz Hess Jeroen Dikken

Abstract

Background: Stigmata on older people in society remains a big problem in the whole of Europe. It
can lead to a lower self-esteem and is even associated with higher suicide rates. This study
questioned whether the identification with one’s own age group is associated with an individual’s
perceived stigma on the group of 70+, which has been unexamined so far for European citizens.
Method: Data were derived from the European Social Survey (ESS). The sample consisted of 7878
persons aged 70+ stratified by three age groups. Group 1 = 70 – 75, Group 2= 76 – 80 and
Group 3= >80. Independent T-test and Multiple regression analyses were used to examine
influence of perceived stigmata in society on identification with one’s own age group, controlled
for the covariates gender, household’s income, education, subjective general health, limitations in
activities of daily life, marital status, having children living at home and having children not living
at home.
Results: A significant association was found for Group 1 (70 – 75) and Group 2 (76 – 80).
Participants of these age groups, who reported a higher perception of stigmata for older people
(70+), identified themselves less with their age group. No significant effect was found for Group 3
(people 80+).
Conclusion: The results suggest that people older than 80 are less affected by stigmata of society
on old age than younger groups (aged 70 - 80). Future research is necessary to examine the
mechanisms which lead to a lower identification with their age of people aged 70 to 80

Keywords

identification, stigma, subjective age, older people

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• Table 1. Characteristics of study sample by age group (observed data) Group 1 (N= 3767) Group (N= 2183)
• Mean S.D. Mean S.D. Mean S.D. Group 3 (N= 1928) Age Gender %) (Women 3 1.7 77.9 1.4 84.6 3.3 8 1 9
• Household’s total netto income 10) Missing Education (years fulltime education completed) Missing 67 6 4.5 8.7 4.5 8.6 4.6 55 Subjective health Limitations in activities of daily living (1 – 3) 9 0.9 3.1 1.0 3.1 1.0 6 7 8 0.7 1.9 0.8 Marital status (% having partner) Parenthood (% Children living at home) Parenthood (% Children not living at home) 8 6 0 4 7 5 0 S.D.= Standard Deviation