School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Gerontologist. 2016 Aug;56(4):610-4. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnu158. Epub 2015 Jan 23.
Ageism is one of the most socially condoned and institutionalized forms of prejudice in the United States. Older adults are discriminated against in employment, health care, and other domains. Exposure to unfavorable stereotypes adversely affects the attitudes, cognitions, and behavior of older adults. Recurrent experiences with negative stereotypes combined with discrimination may make ageism a chronic stressor in the lives of older adults. The way stress influences physical health is gaining increasing support. The weathering hypothesis (Geronimus, A. T. (1992) The weathering hypothesis and the health of African-American women and infants: Evidence and speculations. Ethnicity and Disease, 2, 207-221) posits that the cumulative effects of chronic objective and subjective stressors and high-effort coping cause deterioration of the body, premature aging, and associated health problems such as chronic diseases. Researchers have found empirical support for the weathering hypothesis as well as its theorized contribution to racial and ethnic health disparities. Although ageism is not experienced over the entire life course, as racism typically is, repeated exposure to chronic stressors associated with age stereotypes and discrimination may increase the risk of chronic disease, mortality, and other adverse health outcomes. I conclude with implications for practice in the helping professions and recommendations for future research. Ageism warrants greater recognition, social condemnation, and scientific study as a possible social determinant of chronic disease.
年龄歧视是美国社会中最被默许和制度化的偏见形式之一。老年人在就业、医疗保健和其他领域受到歧视。接触到不利的刻板印象会对老年人的态度、认知和行为产生不利影响。反复经历负面刻板印象加上歧视，可能使年龄歧视成为老年人生活中的慢性应激源。压力对身体健康的影响正得到越来越多的支持。“风化假说”（Geronimus，A. T.（1992）风化假说和非裔美国妇女和婴儿的健康：证据和推测。族裔与疾病，2，207-221）假设，慢性客观和主观压力源以及高努力应对的累积效应会导致身体恶化、早衰以及相关健康问题，如慢性疾病。研究人员已经为“风化假说”及其对种族和族裔健康差异的理论贡献提供了实证支持。尽管年龄歧视不像种族主义那样贯穿整个生命周期，但反复接触与年龄刻板印象和歧视相关的慢性应激源可能会增加患慢性疾病、死亡和其他不良健康结果的风险。最后，我提出了对帮助专业人员实践的影响，并对未来的研究提出了建议。年龄歧视作为慢性病的一个潜在社会决定因素，值得得到更多的认识、社会谴责和科学研究。
