Role of age and gender in the perception of aging: a community-based survey in Kuwait.
It was aimed at investigating the perception of the aging process by the adult population in Kuwait and the existence of gender-dependent ageism. A total of 305 adults aged between 20 and 64 years were selected among those attending health centers in Kuwait. They were interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire and data was collected through direct one-to-one interview using the incidental sampling method. Over 74% of both group of respondents considered age as a defining factor for elderly women, however, only 62.2% of women and 67% of men thought age defined elderly men. Body image was an important criterion and a significant association between age of the respondents with body image and mental alertness in defining elderly women was observed (p<0.001). Only 1.6% agreed that the elderly required geriatric homes, 69.9% agreed they feared death and up to 78.8% of the respondents agreed that the elderly were irritable. Some degree of gender ageism was evident in both groups of respondents. In general, though Kuwait has undergone extensive socio-cultural changes associated with modernization, the status of the elderly as an indispensable part of the family continues to remain.
Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research, PO Box 496, Manama, Bahrain. amusaiger@bcsr.gov.bh
Abdulrahman O
AO
Musaiger
Reshma
R
D'Souza
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult