6.3m global cases of depression attributed to age-based stereotypes - UN report

A United Nations report estimates that one out of every two persons in the world holds ageist attitudes and that this is costing societies billions of dollars each year.

The report also noted that an estimated 6.3 million cases of depression globally are estimated to be attributable to ageism. It intersects and exacerbates other forms of bias and disadvantages, including those related to sex, race and disability, leading to a negative impact on people’s health and well-being.

The report, released on Thursday [today] by the WHO Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and United Nations Population Fund, calls for urgent action to combat ageism and better measurement and reporting to expose ageism for what it is – an insidious scourge on society.

It showed that the response to control the COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled just how widespread ageism is – older and younger people have been stereotyped in public discourse and on social media. In some contexts, age has been used as the sole criterion for access to medical care, life-saving therapies and for physical isolation.

“As countries seek to recover and rebuild from the pandemic, we cannot let age-based stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination limit opportunities to secure the health, well-being and dignity of people everywhere,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This report outlines the nature and scale of the problem but also offers solutions in the form of evidence-based interventions to end ageism at all stages.”

Findings from the report, ageism seeps into many institutions and sectors of society including those providing health and social care, in the workplace, media and the legal system. Healthcare rationing based solely on age is widespread. A systematic review in 2020 showed that in 85 percent of 149 studies, age determined who received certain medical procedures or treatments.

“Both older and younger adults are often disadvantaged in the workplace and access to specialized training and education decline significantly with age. Ageism against younger people manifests across many areas such as employment, health, housing and politics where younger people’s voices are often denied or dismissed,” the report stated.

According to the Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, ageism towards younger and older people is prevalent, unrecognized, unchallenged and has far-reaching consequences for our economies and societies.

“Together, we can prevent this. Join the movement and combat ageism,” she added.
Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Natalia Kanem said the pandemic has put into stark relief the vulnerabilities of older people, especially those most marginalized, who often face overlapping discrimination and barriers – because they are poor, live with disabilities, are women living alone, or belong to minority groups.

“Let’s make this crisis a turning point in the way we see, treat and respond to older people, so that together we can build the world of health, well-being and dignity for all ages that we all want,” Kanem said.

“Ageism harms everyone – old and young. But often, it is so widespread and accepted – in our attitudes and in policies, laws and institutions – that we do not even recognize its detrimental effect on our dignity and rights said Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. “We need to fight ageism head-on, as a deep-rooted human rights violation.”