Ageism
Ageing and Chronic Care
Definition. Ageism is stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination against people on the basis of their age, most often directed at older adults.
Explanation
Butler coined the term and described it as a form of bigotry comparable to racism and sexism (Butler, 1969). Ageism interacts with other stigmas: older people’s experiences of loneliness, for example, are shaped by social stigma (Neves & Petersen, 2025).
In health care, ageism can lead to under-treatment or exclusion from research.
Related concepts
Stigma Loneliness Long-term care Frailty
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References
Butler, R. N. (1969). Age-ism: Another form of bigotry. The Gerontologist, 9(4), 243–246. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/9.4_Part_1.243
Neves, B. B., & Petersen, A. (2025). The social stigma of loneliness: A sociological approach to understanding the experiences of older people. The Sociological Review, 73 (2), 362–383. https://doi.org/10.1177/00380261231212100
Cite this entry: Kurutkan, M. N. (2026). Ageism. In The Health Topics glossary. https://healthtopic.org/glossary/ageism/