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The elderly sick role: an experimental analysis.

W Fisher, A Arluke, J Levin

    International Journal of Aging & Human Development
    |January 1, 1984
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Young people view the elderly differently when they are sick. They expect older individuals, especially retirees, to have longer recovery times and fewer role obligations compared to middle-aged individuals.

    Area of Science:

    • Social Psychology
    • Gerontology
    • Sociology of Health

    Background:

    • Societal perceptions of aging influence health expectations.
    • The sick role concept, defined by Talcott Parsons, outlines legitimate conditions for being sick.
    • Little research has explored how age and work status intersect in shaping sick-role expectations.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate if young adults hold different sick-role expectations for the elderly versus middle-aged individuals.
    • To determine if these expectations are based on age itself or on employment status.
    • To analyze the interplay between age and work status in sick-role attributions.

    Main Methods:

    • A 2x2 factorial design experiment was employed.
    • Participants were presented with vignettes varying in age (old vs. middle-aged) and work status (employed vs. retired).

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  • Sick-role expectations regarding recovery and role obligations were measured.

    • Main Results:

    • Respondents were more likely to expect older men, compared to middle-aged men, to have a longer recovery period.
    • A reduction in role obligations was more frequently expected for retired men than for employed men, irrespective of age.
    • These findings suggest a nuanced view of the sick role influenced by both age and employment status.

    Conclusions:

    • Younger individuals may indeed ascribe a distinct sick role to the elderly, characterized by longer recovery expectations.
    • Work status significantly moderates sick-role expectations, with retirement leading to greater expected leniency in role obligations.
    • Future research should explore the underlying mechanisms driving these age and work status-based attributions in sick-role expectations.