Ageism in elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Literature review
Keywords:
Ageism, Age Discrimination, Older Person, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19Abstract
Objective: To investigate age discrimination in older people during the COVID-19 pandemic and the interventions carried out.
Method: Bibliographic review in three databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (Wos). Application of the PRISMA methodology, inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quality evaluation according to the JBI scale (Joanna Briggs Institute).
Results: 20 bibliographic references were obtained, 9 selected for their relevance. A significant increase in ageism was observed during Covid-19 due to the application of utilitarian measures based on age criteria. Among the positive intervention measures, digital literacy and specific social and health help lines for this age group stand out. The quality of the studies was of low level.
Conclusion: The elderly during the pandemic were subjected to an overexposure of ageism and the data reported in the literature indicates that they are undervalued. Digital literacy, among others, is considered the most effective measure to maintain autonomy and health information.
Downloads
References
Organización Mundial de la Salud [sede web]. Suiza: World Health Organization; 2023 [acceso 24/04/2023]. Coronavirus. Disponible en: https://www.who.int/es/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1.
Ruiz-Bravo A, Jiménez-Valera M. SARS-CoV-2 y pandemia de síndrome respiratorio agudo (COVID-19). Ars Pharmaceutica. 2020;61(2):63-79.
Fernández-Montells Rodríguez R, Núñez Vázquez A. Enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) [sede web]. Elsevier España S.L.U.; 2023 [acceso 24/04/2023]. Disponible en: https://www.fisterra.com/guias-clinicas/covid-19/.
Diccionario de la Real Academia Española. “Edadismo”. Disponible en: https://dle.rae.es/edadismo.
Organización Mundial de la Salud [sede web]. Suiza: World Health Organization; 2023 [acceso 24/04/2023]. Envejecimiento: edadismo. Disponible en: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/ageing-ageism.
Soares T, Corradi-Perini C, Perez C, Vargas de Castro U. Covid-19 y edadismo: evaluación ética de la distribución de los recursos sanitarios. Revista Bioética. 2021;29(2):242-250.
Fernández-Ortega P, Diez de los Ríos de la Serna C. Componentes del edadismo o ageismo en la atención al paciente oncológico: una reflexión necesaria. Enferm Clin (Barc). 2023;33(1):1-3.
Rubio O, Estella A, Cabre L, Saralegui-Reta I, Martin MC, Zapata L, et al. Recomendaciones éticas para la toma de decisiones difíciles en las unidades de cuidados intensivos ante la situación excepcional de crisis por la pandemia por COVID-19: revisión rápida y consenso de expertos. Med Intensiva. 2020;44(7):439-445.
Barrantes-Monge M, Rodríguez E, Lama A. Relación médico-paciente: derechos del adulto mayor. Acta Bioeth. 2009;15(2):216-221.
Lebrasseur A, Fortin-Bédard N, Lettre J, Raymond E, Bussières EL, Lapierre N, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults: Rapid Review. JMIR Aging. 2021;4(2):e26474. doi: 10.2196/26474.
Mobasseri K, Azami-Aghdash S, Khanijahani A, Khodayari-Zarnaq R. The main issues and challenges older adults face in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a scoping review of literature. Iran J Public Health. 2020;49(12):2295-2307.
Moreno A, Belhouari S, Dussault A. A systematic literature review of the impact of COVID-19 on the health of LGBTQIA+ older adults: identification of risk and protective health factors and development of a model of health and disease. J Homosex. 2023;28:1-35.
Silva MF, Silva DSM, Bacurau AGM, Francisco PMSB, Assumpção D, Neri AL, et al. Ageismo contra idosos no contexto da pandemia da COVID-19: uma revisão integrativa. Rev Saúde Pública. 2021;55(4):1-13.
Tarazona-Santabalbina FJ, de la Cámara de las Heras JM, Vidán MT, García JA. Enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) y edadismo: revisión narrativa de la literatura. Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol. 2021;56(1):47-53.
Danieli SS, Rahimi M, Salarvand S. Age discrimination in delivery of health services to old people during COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review study. J Gerontol Geriatr. 2022;70(1):68-82.
Ramirez L, Monahan C, Palacios-Espinosa X, Levy SR. Intersections of ageism toward older adults and other isms during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Social Issues. 2022;78(4):965-990.
D’cruz M, Banerjee D. ‘An invisible human rights crisis’: the marginalization of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic – an advocacy review. Psychiatry Research. 2020;292. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113369.
Beaulieu M, Cadieux Genesse J, St-Martin K. COVID-19 and residential care facilities: issues and concerns identified by the international network prevention of elder abuse (INPEA). J Adult Protect. 2020;22(6):385-389.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Revista Enfermeir@s

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
When publishing in the journal Enfermeir@s, the author transfers all exploitation rights of their article to the Illustrious Official College of Nursing of Lugo, which, under the conditions and limitations established by intellectual property legislation, holds the copyright.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is distributed under an international Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Any form of reproduction, distribution, public communication, or transformation of this work not included in the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 license may only be carried out with the express authorization of the copyright holders, unless an exception is provided by law. You can access the full text of the license at this link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.gl.
Privacy Policy
Right to Information
For the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of April 27, 2016 (GDPR), regarding the protection of individuals concerning the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data, and Organic Law 3/2018 of December 5, on the protection of personal data and guarantee of digital rights (LOPDGDD), the user is informed of the existence of an automated processing system for personal data created by the Official College of Nursing of Lugo and under its responsibility, using the personal data provided during navigation on our website, either at the time of registration or when sending an email message.
Data Controller:
- Legal Name: Official College of Nursing of Lugo
- CIF: Q2766003D
- Address: Avenida de la Coruña 104, Entresuelo B, 27003 - Lugo (Lugo)
- Phone: 982242450
- Email for Communications: colexio@enfermerialugo.org
- Data Protection Officer Contacts:
- Phone: 984283532
- Email: delegadoprotecciondatos@prodasva.org
Purpose of Data Processing:
The purpose of processing your data is described in each of the forms provided on the website where you provide your data.
Legal Basis:
Article 6.1.a) of the GDPR: The data subject has given their consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes.
Data Retention and Processing:
Your data will be retained as long as necessary to address your request unless you exercise your right to deletion or until the obligations arising from the purpose for which the data was collected are fulfilled. If necessary, the Official College of Nursing of Lugo will cancel or rectify data that is inaccurate, incomplete, or no longer needed for its purpose, in accordance with current legislation on Personal Data Protection.
Unless otherwise communicated, it is understood that your data has not been modified, that you commit to notifying us of any changes, and that we have your consent to use it to strengthen the relationship between the parties.
The data provided will not be transferred to third parties unless there is a legal obligation.
The Official College of Nursing of Lugo will not create any type of "profile" based on the information provided. No automated decisions will be made based on profiles.
In compliance with Law 34/2002 on Services of the Information Society and Electronic Commerce, Article 21, we will request your consent to send advertising communications that we believe may be of interest to you, via email or other equivalent electronic communication methods.
You have the right to object to and/or withdraw consent for the processing of the aforementioned data at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal, by notifying the data controller at the addresses provided.
Technical and Organizational Measures:
The Official College of Nursing of Lugo adopts technical measures, controls, and procedures of a physical, organizational, and technological nature that are reasonably reliable and effective to preserve the integrity and security of your data and ensure your privacy. However, it assumes no responsibility for damages caused by third-party alterations to users' computer systems, electronic documents, or files.
Additionally, all personnel with access to personal data has been trained and is aware of their obligations concerning personal data processing.
Contracts with our suppliers include clauses requiring them to maintain confidentiality regarding personal data accessed due to the tasks performed. They must also implement the necessary technical and organizational security measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, availability, and resilience of personal data processing systems and services.
These security measures are periodically reviewed to ensure their adequacy and effectiveness.
Rights:
Users may exercise their rights of access, rectification, deletion, objection, restriction of processing, data portability, and not being subject to automated individual decisions concerning the data processed, by contacting the data controller at the aforementioned address or via email at colexio@enfermerialugo.org, attaching a copy of their ID or equivalent document. Alternatively, they may contact the Data Protection Officer directly.
If satisfaction is not achieved in exercising their rights, users may file a complaint with the competent Data Protection Authority, which is the Spanish Data Protection Agency. Contact details are available at https://sedeagpd.gob.es/sede-electronica-web/vistas/formNuevaReclamacion/reclamacion.jsf.
BY-NC-ND 4.0