Knowledge, stereotyping and attitudes towards self ageing

Objectives: The Reactions to Ageing Questionnaire (RAQ) was developed in Australia in order to measure attitudes to personal or self ageing. A two‐country project assessed the relationships between attitudes to self ageing and measures of misconceptions and stereotyping of older people. Method: Researchers in Australia and the United Kingdom administered to nursing samples the Reactions to Ageing Questionnaire, Facts about Aging Quiz and Aging Semantic Differential, along with a page of demographic questions. Results: Results indicated patterns of stereotyping and misconception about older people that were similar across two countries. In the main, views were negative and devalued older people in their personal attributes and capabilities. Significant correlations extended across two countries, indicating that attitudes to self ageing as measured by the RAQ were significantly associated with measures of misconception and stereotyping of older people. Conclusion: It was concluded that urgent attention is required to address negative attitudes and to develop strategies for addressing ageism among nurses.