Ageism Among Physicians and Nurses in Russia

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Social Psychology
• Medical Ethics

Background:

• Ageism, the prejudice against individuals based on age, is a well-documented issue globally.
• Research on ageism within the Russian medical community, particularly among physicians and nurses, remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of ageism among Russian physicians and nurses.
• To identify sociodemographic and professional factors associated with ageism in this population.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with 903 physicians and nurses in Russia between 2016 and 2018.
• Participants completed the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA) and provided sociodemographic data, including age, gender, profession, professional seniority, and patient load.

Main Results:

• The mean FSA score indicated a moderate level of ageism (2.75 ± 0.49).
• A significant positive correlation was found between ageism scores and participant age (r=0.157), professional seniority (r=0.098), and the number of older adult patients treated (r=0.075).
• No significant differences in ageism were observed based on gender, profession, or work setting.

Conclusions:

• Ageism is a reality among healthcare professionals in Russia.
• Older healthcare professionals, those with longer careers, and those with a higher volume of elderly patients tend to exhibit stronger ageist attitudes.
• These findings underscore the importance of interventions to mitigate ageism within the Russian healthcare system.