Determinants and Effects of Public Attitudes Towards Aging

Background and Objective: The attitude of the public regarding aging and the aged plays a pivotal role in shaping the mental and physical health of older adults. Negative perceptions often perpetuate stereotypes that lead to various forms of discrimination and marginalization against older adults, while positive perception tends to improve the well-being of older adults in our society. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the determinants and effects of the attitudes of the public towards aging and the aged. Materials and Methods: The survey design was adopted and 300 participants were employed in Yenagoa Metropolis, Bayelsa State, Nigeria as validated by G-power sample size software. The study also employed a simple percentage and Chi-square method of data analyses at 0.05 levels of significance on an SPSS version 23. Results: The findings showed that 40.3% of the public that participated in the study said, cultural norms influenced their attitudes positively or negatively towards aging and the aged; 23.3% said, their personal experiences influenced their attitudes positively or negatively towards aging and the aged; while 36.3% said, media portrayal influenced their attitudes positively or negatively towards aging and the aged. The inferential statistics also depicted that cultural norms, personal experiences and media portrayal have significant effects on the public’s attitudes towards aging and the aged in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Conclusion: The study, therefore, recommended advocating for accurate and positive portrayals of older adults in media to foster more respectful attitudes towards the aged, facilitate meaningful interactions between younger generations and older adults through intergenerational programs and develop interventions and policies that create respect for elders and reflect diverse cultural norms related to aging.