title: An Exploration of Factors Associated With Ageist Stereotype Threat in a Medical Setting.
abstract: Experiencing stereotype threat in a medical setting may be triggered by routine clinical activities, and may be detrimental to healthcare processes and outcomes. This study estimated the prevalence of, and identified factors associated with, reporting ageist stereotype threat in a medical setting using a nationally representative dataset.
  
  
  
  Participants were community-dwelling adults aged 50 and older who had visited the doctor at least once in the past 2 years (n = 1,662). We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study using multivariate logistic regression.
  
  
  
  8.31% of participants felt worry or fear that they were judged by medical staff because of their age. Previous experiences of age discrimination (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.47, p < .01), poorer self-perceptions of aging (AOR = 1.34, p < .05), and having greater control over one's health (AOR = 0.84, p < .05) were associated with reporting stereotype threat because of age.
  
  
  
  Future research should investigate if measures to reduce age discrimination and to improve self-perceptions of aging and individual control over health protect against experiencing ageist stereotype threat in healthcare settings.
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Human Sciences, School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis.
authors.forename: Sandi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phibbs
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Human Sciences, School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hooker
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D063506:Ageism; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013240:Stereotyping