Interpersonal ageism can undermine autonomy, dignity, and social inclusion, and is associated with poorer mental well-being and reduced participation in community life. Tracking interpersonal ageism provides actionable intelligence for policies and programmes aimed at reducing discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, strengthening social cohesion, and supporting older people’s rights.
Definition:
Interpersonal ageism refers to ageism that occurs in interactions between two or more individuals, where the perpetrator is distinct from the target. For this indicator, interpersonal ageism includes experiences where older people feel that others devalue their contribution because of age, express frustration toward them because of age, and or make decisions on their behalf because of age. Older people are defined as persons aged 60 years and over.
Disaggregation:
Age (five-year age groups), sex, income level, education level, place of residence (administrative region and urban or rural), setting (community or residential care), disability status, and nationally relevant population groups.
Method of measurement
This indicator is measured using self-reported data collected through nationally representative population surveys of older people with a 12‑month reference period. Respondents are asked to rate their agreement with statements capturing key forms of interpersonal ageism, including perceived devaluation, frustration directed at them, and others making decisions for them because of their age. Responses are recorded on an ordered agreement scale (for example, strongly agree to strongly disagree). Respondents are classified as experiencing interpersonal ageism if they select "agree" or "strongly agree" for at least one of the interpersonal ageism statements. The numerator is the number of respondents classified as experiencing interpersonal ageism, and the denominator is the number of respondents with valid responses to the full set of statements used to compute the indicator. The indicator is calculated as the numerator divided by the denominator, multiplied by 100.
Other possible data sources:
None recommended
Preferred data sources:
Published nationally-representative population-based surveys
This indicator is based on self-reported perceptions and may be influenced by individual expectations, willingness to disclose, communication barriers, or social desirability bias. Cultural norms shape how older people interpret "being valued," "frustration," and "decision-making," which can affect comparability across contexts. The measure does not capture the frequency, severity, or setting of interpersonal ageism, nor identify the perpetrator (for example, family member, community member, service provider). Recall over a 12‑month period may introduce memory bias, and stigma or normalization of discriminatory treatment may lead to under-reporting.
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