Retrospective analysis of attitudes to ageing in the Economist: apocalyptic demography for opinion formers
Retrospective analysis of attitudes to ageing in the Economist: apocalyptic demography for opinion formers
复制标题
《经济学人》对老龄化态度的回顾性分析：舆论形成者的末日人口统计学
作者：
Ruth Martin;C. Williams;D. O’Neill
目的调查一份在政治和金融圈有影响力的主要周报对老年人和老龄化的描述，看看它是否以平衡的方式反映了老龄化，以及它在多大程度上沉迷于启示录人口统计-将人口老龄化描绘为经济负担而不是科学进步。设计电子搜索1997年1月至2008年4月间发表的《经济学人》文章的数字档案。主要结果测量将文章分类为将人口老龄化描述为负担或利益或以平衡的观点。结果6306篇文献中，相关文献262篇。大多数都是关于养老金、人口统计和政治的。在这262份报告中，64%认为人口老龄化是一种负担，12%认为是一种好处；24%的人持平衡观点。因此，大多数文章主要表现出年龄歧视的观点，认为老年人是社会的负担，往往把他们描绘成身体虚弱的非贡献者。经常出现的主题包括养恤金和人口“定时炸弹”以及未来老年人保健的不可持续费用。这种对老年人的负面看法可能会影响读者的态度，包括政治和经济界的舆论领袖。老年病学家（包括老年病学家）需要与有影响力的媒体接触，并帮助促进新闻记者的专业发展，使他们了解和了解年龄歧视对老年人福祉的负面影响。
Objective To investigate the description of older people and ageing in a major weekly newspaper, influential in political and financial circles, to see whether it reflected ageing in a balanced manner, and to what extent it indulged in apocalyptic demography—the portrayal of population ageing as a financial burden rather than a scientific advance. Design Electronic search of the digital archive of the Economist of articles published between January 1997 and April 2008. Main outcomes measures Categorisation of articles as portraying population ageing as a burden or a benefit or with a balanced view. Results Of 6306 identified articles, 262 were relevant. Most featured pensions, demography, and politics. Of these 262, 64% portrayed population ageing as a burden and 12% as a benefit; 24% had a balanced view. Most articles therefore showed a predominantly ageist view of older people as a burden on society, often portraying them as frail non-contributors. Recurrent themes included pension and demographic “time bombs” and future unsustainable costs of health care for older people. Conclusion This negative view of older people might be influential in shaping the attitudes of readers, who include opinion formers in political and economic circles. Gerontologists (including geriatricians) need to engage with influential media, as well as helping to promote a professional development of journalists that is informed and knowledgeable about the negative impact of ageism on the wellbeing of older people.