Ageism is a global challenge: UN

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Ageism arises when age is used to categorize and divide people in ways that lead to harm, disadvantage, and injustice. It can take many forms ... Home/ News/ item/ Ageismisaglobalchallenge:UN Ageismisaglobalchallenge:UN Ageismleadstopoorerhealth,socialisolation,earlierdeathsandcosteconomiesbillions:reportcallsforswiftactiontoimplementeffectiveanti-ageismstrategies 18March2021 Newsrelease Geneva,Switzerland Readingtime: Everysecondpersonintheworldisbelievedtoholdageistattitudes–leadingtopoorerphysicalandmentalhealthandreducedqualityoflifeforolderpersons,costingsocietiesbillionsofdollarseachyear,accordingtoanewUnitedNations reportonageism.ThereportreleasedtodaybyWHO,OfficeoftheHighCommissionerforHumanRights(OHCHR),UnitedNationsDepartmentofEconomicandSocialAffairs(UNDESA)andUnitedNationsPopulationFund(UNFPA),callsforurgentactiontocombatageismandbetter measurementandreportingtoexposeageismforwhatitis–aninsidiousscourgeonsociety.TheresponsetocontroltheCOVID-19pandemichasunveiledjusthowwidespreadageismis–olderandyoungerpeoplehavebeenstereotypedinpublicdiscourseandonsocialmedia.Insomecontexts,agehasbeenusedasthesolecriterion foraccesstomedicalcare,lifesavingtherapiesandforphysicalisolation.“Ascountriesseektorecoverandrebuildfromthepandemic,wecannotletage-basedstereotypes,prejudiceanddiscriminationlimitopportunitiestosecurethehealth,well-beinganddignityofpeopleeverywhere,”saidDrTedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus, WHODirector-General.“Thisreportoutlinesthenatureandscaleoftheproblembutalsoofferssolutionsintheformofevidence-basedinterventionstoendageismatallstages.”FindingsfromthereportAgeismseepsintomanyinstitutionsandsectorsofsocietyincludingthoseprovidinghealthandsocialcare,intheworkplace,mediaandthelegalsystem.Healthcarerationingbasedsolelyonageiswidespread. Asystematicreviewin2020showed thatin85percentof149studies,agedeterminedwhoreceivedcertainmedicalproceduresortreatments.Botholderandyoungeradultsareoftendisadvantagedintheworkplaceandaccesstospecializedtrainingandeducationdeclinesignificantlywithage.Ageismagainstyoungerpeoplemanifestsacrossmanyareassuchasemployment,health,housingandpolitics whereyoungerpeople’svoicesareoftendeniedordismissed. “Ageismtowardsyoungerandolderpeopleisprevalent,unrecognized,unchallengedandhasfar-reachingconsequencesforoureconomiesandsocieties,”saidMaria-FrancescaSpatolisano,AssistantSecretary-GeneralforPolicyCoordinationand Inter-AgencyAffairsintheDepartmentofEconomicandSocialAffairs.“Together,wecanpreventthis.Jointhemovementandcombatageism.” Ageismhasseriousandwide-rangingconsequencesforpeople’shealthandwell-being.Amongolderpeople,ageismisassociatedwithpoorerphysicalandmentalhealth,increasedsocialisolationandloneliness,greaterfinancialinsecurity,decreased qualityoflifeandprematuredeath.Anestimated6.3millioncasesofdepressiongloballyareestimatedtobeattributabletoageism. Itintersectsandexacerbatesotherformsofbiasanddisadvantageincludingthoserelatedtosex,raceand disabilityleadingtoanegativeimpactonpeople’shealthandwell-being.“Thepandemichasputintostarkreliefthevulnerabilitiesofolderpeople,especiallythosemostmarginalized,whooftenfaceoverlappingdiscriminationandbarriers–becausetheyarepoor,livewithdisabilities,arewomenlivingalone, orbelongtominoritygroups,”saidNataliaKanem,ExecutiveDirector,UnitedNationsPopulationFund.“Let’smakethiscrisisaturningpointinthewaywesee,treatandrespondtoolderpeople,sothattogetherwecanbuildthe worldofhealth,well-beinganddignityforallagesthatweallwant."Ageismcostsoursocietiesbillionsofdollars.IntheUnitedStatesofAmerica(USA),a2020studyshowedageismintheformofnegativeagestereotypesandself-perceptionsledtoexcessannualcostsofUS$63billionfortheeightmostexpensivehealth conditions.ThisamountstoUS$1ineveryUS$7spentontheseconditionsforallAmericansovertheageof60foroneyear(seenotetoeditors).EstimatesinAustraliasuggestthatif5percentmorepeopleaged55orolderwereemployed,therewouldbeapositiveimpactofAUD$48billiononthenationaleconomyannually.Therearecurrentlylimiteddataandinformationontheeconomiccostsof ageismandmoreresearchisneededtobetterunderstanditseconomicimpact,particularlyinlow-andmiddle-incomecountries.“Ageismharmseveryone–oldandyoung.Butoften,itissowidespreadandaccepted–inourattitudesandinpolicies,lawsandinstitutions–thatwedonotevenrecognizeitsdetrimentaleffectonourdignityandrightssaid MichelleBachelet,UnitedNationsHighCommissionerforHumanRights.“Weneedtofightageismhead-on,asadeep-rootedhumanrightsviolation.”CombattingageismThereportnotesthatpoliciesandlawsthataddressageism,educationalactivitiesthatenhanceempathyanddispelmisconceptions,andintergenerationalactivitiesthatreduceprejudiceallhelpdecreaseageism.Allcountriesandstakeholdersareencouragedtouseevidence-basedstrategies,improvedatacollectionandresearchandworktogethertobuildamovementtochangehowwethink,feelandacttowardsageandageing,andtoadvanceprogressontheUNDecadeofHealthyAgeing.NotetoEditorsTheGlobalreportonageismcompilesthebestevidenceonthescale,theimpactandthedeterminantsofageism,effectivestrategiestotackletheproblemandrecommendationsforactiontocreateaworldfitforallages.Thereportisdirectedatpolicymakers, practitioners,researchers,developmentagenciesandmembersoftheprivatesectorandcivilsociety. Ageismariseswhenageisusedtocategorizeanddividepeopleinwaysthatleadtoharm,disadvantage,andinjustice.Itcantakemanyformsincludingprejudicialattitudes,discriminatoryacts,andinstitutionalpoliciesandpracticesthatperpetuate stereotypicalbeliefs.Prevalencefiguresbasedonasurveyof83034peoplein57countriesfoundoneineverytwopeopleheldmoderatelyorhighlyageistattitudes(i.e.stereotypesandprejudice).Moreinformation:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/9/3159.Excesscostsofhealthcare:Ageisminfluenceshealththroughthreepathways:psychological,behaviouralandphysiological.Psychologically,negativeagestereotypescanexacerbatestress;behaviourally,negativeself-perceptionsofageingpredict worsehealthbehaviour,suchasnoncompliancewithprescribedmedications;physiologically,negativeagestereotypespredictdetrimentalbrainchangesdecadeslater,includingtheaccumulationofplaquesandtanglesandreductioninthesizeof thehippocampus.IntheUSA,ageismledtoexcesscostsofUS$63billionforabroadrangeofhealthconditionsduringoneyear.ThisamountstoUS$1ofeveryUS$7spentontheeightmostexpensivehealthconditionsforallAmericans overtheageof60duringoneyear.Theexcesshealthcarespendingduetoageismwasderivedfromthefollowing:(a)numberofAmericansaged60yearsorolderin2013;(b)prevalenceofinterpersonalandself-directedageismbasedonpercentage ofpeoplethatagreetothefollowingstatements:“Youaretreatedwithlesscourtesyorrespectthanotherpeople”,“Forgetfulnessisanaturaloccurrencejustfromgrowingold”and“TheolderIgetthemoreuseless Ifeel.”(c)evidenceoftheimpactofsuchageiststatementsontheeighthealthconditions;(d)prevalenceoftheeighthealthconditionsin2013,themostrecentyearforwhichhealthcarespendingwasavailable;and(e)Institutefor HealthMetricsandEvaluation(IHME)costsperpersonoftheeighthealthconditionsin2013. Moreinformation:https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/60/1/174/5166947.RelatedlinksTheGlobalreportonageism.TowatchthelauncheventonThursday,18Marchfrom13.00–14.00CET,pleaseregisterhere.---------------TheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)providesgloballeadershipinpublichealthwithintheUnitedNationssystem.Foundedin1948,WHOworkswith194MemberStates,acrosssixregionsandfrommorethan150offices,topromotehealth, keeptheworldsafeandservethevulnerable.Ourgoalfor2019-2023istoensurethatabillionmorepeoplehaveuniversalhealthcoverage,toprotectabillionmorepeoplefromhealthemergencies,andprovideafurtherbillionpeoplewithbetter healthandwellbeing.FormoreinformationaboutWHO,visitwww.who.int.FollowWHOonTwitterandFacebook.TheOfficeoftheUnitedNationsCommissionerforHumanRightsisthe leadingUNentityonhumanrights.Werepresenttheworld'scommitmenttothepromotionandprotectionofthefullrangeofhumanrightsandfreedomssetoutin the  UniversalDeclarationofHumanRights.Tofulfilitsmission,UNHumanRightsfollowsarobustframeworkofresultsknownastheOHCHRManagementPlan(OMP). ThisroadmapisbasedontheoutcomesofconsultationswithMemberStates,theUNsystem,civilsociety,thedonorcommunityandtheprivatesector.UnitedNationsDepartmentofEconomicandSocialAffairs(UNDESA),rootedintheUnitedNationsCharterandguidedbythetransformative2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopment,upholdsthedevelopmentpillaroftheUnitedNations.UN DESAbringstheglobalcommunitytogethertoworktowardscommonsolutionstotheworld’smostpressingproblems.TheDepartmenthelpscountriestranslatetheirglobalcommitmentsintonationalactionintheeconomic,socialandenvironmental spheres.Itisaleadinganalyticalvoiceforpromotinginclusion,reducinginequalitiesanderadicatingpoverty,andachampionfortearingdownthebarriersthatkeeppeopleinpoverty.UnitedNationsPopulationFund(UNFPA)istheUnitedNationssexualandreproductivehealthagency.Ourmissionistodeliveraworldwhereeverypregnancyiswanted,everychildbirthissafeandeveryyoungperson'spotentialisfulfilled. UNFPAcallsfortherealizationofreproductiverightsforallandsupportsaccesstoawiderangeofsexualandreproductivehealthservices–includingvoluntaryfamilyplanning,maternalhealthcareandcomprehensivesexualityeducation. Subscribetoournewsletters→ MediaContacts CarlaDrysdale CommunicationsOfficer WorldHealthOrganization Telephone: +41227911250 Mobile: +41797164546 Email: [email protected] Related ReportGlobalreportonageismLearnmore UNDecadeofHealthyAgeingGlobalNetworkforAge-friendlyCitiesandCommunitiesGlobalCampaigntoCombatAgeism News TheHealthyAgeing50:Acallforleaderstransformingtheworldtobeabetterplaceinwhichtogrowolder 27April2022 Ensuringartificialintelligence(AI)technologiesforhealthbenefitolderpeople 9February2022 Factsheets Ageingandhealth 4October2021



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