It is a fact of life that as we get older, we are also more likely to become sick. Unfortunately, the older we get, the more likely we are to also experience ageism in healthcare.
Ageism, or the stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination against people based on their age, can have far-reaching consequences, influencing the quality of care that patients receive and ultimately impacting their health outcomes, but also impacting our society as a whole.
What is Ageism in Healthcare?
Ageism in the healthcare sector manifests in various ways, from casual biases to explicit discrimination. It can occur at the individual level, like when healthcare providers make assumptions about older patients based on their age (e.g., dismissing chronic pain as a normal fact of life and therefore not investigating it), or at the systemic level, where government policy fails our older population.
Ageism often also appears as under-treatment or over-treatment, where patients are denied treatments because they are “too old” to benefit from them or given excessive tests and medication because their symptoms are merely presumed to be caused by the symptoms of aging, rather than being extensively analyzed. According to data from the U.S. National Health and Retirement Survey, about 20% of people over 50 have faced age-based discrimination in healthcare.
Ageism also pervades our medical research systems—older people are routinely underrepresented in clinical trials, leading to a lack of data on how treatments affect them. For example, one study found that although older adults carry 60% of the national disease burden, they represent only 32% of patients in phase II and III clinical trials. Clinical trial exclusions can result in medications and therapies that are less effective for older patients.
How Ageism Impacts Health
Ageism in healthcare can have serious consequences for the individual and society as a whole. For older adults, its effects can be physical and psychological. For example, when older patients are over/under-treated or misdiagnosed, their conditions may deteriorate, leading to unnecessary complications, hospitalizations, or even death.
But there are mental consequences as well; ageism causes feelings of invisibility, low self-esteem, and depression in older individuals. Being spoken down to or ignored by health professionals (being told things “dumbed down” for no apparent reason at all, for example, or being ignored while doctors speak to their relatives instead) makes older individuals question the capacity of the health system to provide good quality care to them, and might discourage them from seeking care.
At a social level, ageism (especially at the clinical research level) can lead to increased healthcare expenditure, since inefficient or inappropriate care or treatment may be driven by ageist policies and attitudes. It also generates heightened prejudices in society, since ageism reinforces negative stereotypes, such as that older individuals are weak or unable to make decisions about their own lives. These stereotypes then become self-fulfilling prophecies, keeping older adults from living healthy, productive lives if they start believing falsely that they are weak.
Combating Ageism in Healthcare
Combating ageism in healthcare needs to be a multifaceted effort involving people, institutions, and society as a whole. For example, healthcare providers need to be educated about ageism and its implications for patient care—such as learning about numerous different diverse experiences and realities of aging, and challenging stereotypes of older people.
Healthcare providers can also adopt a person-centered approach that focuses on the individual rather than their age or social group. This means considering a patient’s overall health, preferences, and goals when making treatment decisions, and talking with them to create a more individualized healthcare journey.
From a clinical trial standpoint, researchers and policymakers must make it a priority to recruit more elderly into clinical trials in order to fix underrepresentation and therefore create treatments that will be potentially more effective and efficient.
We also must, as a society, enable the elderly to advocate for themselves within the healthcare system—asking questions, expressing their own wishes, and seeking second (or third) opinions whenever they feel their concerns are not being heard.
The Path to Improved Care
To provide equitable and efficient care for older adults, we need to combat ageism by tackling it head-on. By recognizing and addressing ageism, we can create a healthcare system that respects and values individuals of all ages. Through education, policy change, and commitment to person-centered care, we can assure that older adults are provided with the level of care they deserve. Combatting ageism is not just an issue of ethics—it’s crucial for building a society that is both more equitable and inclusive.
Insightful read on ageism and healthcare. Health is unique, just as each individual is unique. A health plan for someone might not be right for someone who is of a similar age or background. It can depend on a number of things. I agree with what you mentioned in the comments. Being open about our health and with our doctors – and communicating – is a way to get more understanding about our health and moving forwards. Thank you for sharing :)
Thank you taking the time here and valuing the importance of personalized healthcare treatments, Mabel!
Hi Christy. I learned things from this article that I wasn’t aware of. I’m a senior citizen and have confidence in my doctors. But I always try to discuss things fully with them, because I want to be sure they understand my concerns.
Take care.
Neil S.
Hi Neil, I’m glad to hear that the information here was useful to you AND more importantly that you and your doctors have a good relationship. The open communication that you talk about is so important. On another very important note, I appreciate your support and hope you are doing well. Have a great week!