Does Race/Ethnicity Affect Aging Anxiety in American Baby Boomers?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether racial/ethnic differences in aging anxiety among American baby boomers stem from socioeconomic resources, knowledge about aging, and/or exposure to older adults. Data were from the Images of Aging Survey conducted in 2004. The analysis included 362 non-Hispanic Whites, 117 African Americans, and 96 Hispanics. Multiple regression models were used. Aging anxiety did not differ between African Americans and non-Hispanic Whites. Hispanics tended to have more aging anxiety than non-Hispanic Whites, but this difference was explained by relatively low socioeconomic status and lack of knowledge of aging among Hispanics. Baby boomers who were older, less healthy, less educated, and poorer had more aging anxiety than their counterparts, as did those with less knowledge about aging and less contact with older adults. To reduce aging anxiety, public interventions are needed that promote accurate perceptions about aging and increase opportunities for interacting with older adults.

Keywords

aging anxiety baby boomers race/ethnicity

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abramson

Silverstein

. 2006. “Images of Aging in America 2004: A Summary of Selected Findings.” Retrieved September 30, 2008 ( http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/general/images_aging_1.pdf ).

Allport

G. W.

1954. The Nature of Prejudice. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.

Angel

R. J.

Angel

J. L.

Himes

C. L.

1992. “Minority Group Status, Health Transitions, and Community Living Arrangements Among the Elderly.” Research on Aging 14:496-521.

Barrett

A. E.

Robbins

2008. “The Multiple Sources of Women’s Aging Anxiety and Their Relationship With Psychological Distress.” Journal of Aging and Health 20:32-65.

Benton

J. P.

Christopher

A. N.

Walter

M. I.

2007. “Death Anxiety as a Function of Aging Anxiety.” Death Studies 31:337-50.

Brubaker

T. H.

Powers

E. A.

1976. “The Stereotype of ‘Old’: A Review and Alternative Approach.” Journal of Gerontology 31:441-47.

Busse

E. W.

1968. “Prejudice and Gerontology.” The Gerontologist 8(2):66.

Butler

1975. Why Survive? Being Old in America. New York: Harper & Row.

Bytheway

2005. “Ageism and Age Categorization.” Journal of Social Issues 61(2):361-74.

10.

Cuddy

A. J. C.

Norton

M. I.

Fiske

S. T.

2005. “This Old Stereotype: The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Elderly Stereotype.” Journal of Social Issues 61(2):267-85.

11.

Cummings

S. M.

Kropf

N. P.

DeWeaver

K. L.

2000. “Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Aging Among Non-elders.” Journal of Women & Aging 12(1/2):77-91.

12.

Dannefer

2003. “Cumulative Advantage/Disadvantage and the Life Course: Cross-fertilizing Age and Social Science Theory.” Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences 58B(6):S327-37.

13.

Doka

K. J.

1986. “Adolescent Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Aging and the Elderly.” International Journal of Aging and Human Development 22:173-86.

14.

Eglit

2004. Elders on Trial: Age and Ageism in the American Legal System. Gainesville, FL: Florida University Press.

15.

Ferraro

K. F.

Farmer

M. M.

1996. “Double Jeopardy, Aging as Leveler, or Persistent Health Inequality? A Longitudinal Analysis of White and Black Americans.” Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences 51(6):S319-28.

16.

Gassoumis

Z. D.

Wilber

K. H.

Baker

L. A.

Torres-Gil

F. M.

2010. “Who Are the Latino Baby Boomers? Demographic and Economic Characteristics of a Hidden Population.” Journal of Aging & Social Policy 22(1):53-68.

17.

Gellis

Sherman

Lawrence

2003. “First Year Graduate Social Work Students’ Knowledge of and Attitude Toward Attitude Older Adults.” Educational Gerontology 29(1):1-16.

18.

Hill

Leonard

1994. “Seniors as Media Advocates: Building Confidence and Competence.” Australian Journal of Ageing 13(3):138-40.

19.

Himes

C. L.

Hogan

D. P.

Eggebeen

D. J.

1996. “Living Arrangements of Minority Elders.” Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences 51B(1):S42-8.

20.

Kafer

R. A.

Rakowski

Lachman

Hickey

1980. “Aging Opinion Survey: A Report on Instrument Development.” International Journal of Aging and Human Development 11:319-33.

21.

Klemmack

1978. “An Examination of Palmore’s FAQ.” The Gerontologist 18:403-06.

22.

Kruger

1994. “The Midlife Crisis or Chimera.” Psychological Reports 75:1299-305.

23.

Lasher

K. P.

Faulkender

P. J.

1993. “Measurement of Aging Anxiety: Development of the Anxiety About Aging Scale.” International Journal of Aging and Human Development 37:247-59.

24.

Levy

B. R.

1996. “Improving Memory in Old Age by Implicit Self-stereotyping.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 71:1092-107.

25.

Levy

B. R.

Ryall

A. L.

Pilver

C. E.

Sheridan

P. L.

Wei

J. Y.

Hausdorff

J. M.

2008. “Influence of African American Elders’ Age Stereotypes on Their Cardiovascular Response to Stress.” Anxiety, Stress & Coping 21:85-93.

26.

Levy

B. R.

Slade

M. D.

Kunkel

S. R.

Kasl

S. V.

2002. “Longevity Increased by Positive Self-perceptions of Aging.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 83:261-70.

27.

Lynch

S. M.

2000. “Measurement and Prediction of Aging Anxiety.” Research on Aging 22:533-58.

28.

Markides

K. S.

1983. “Ethnicity, Aging and Society: Theoretical Lessons From the United States Experience.” Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2(1):v221-28.

29.

McGuinn

Mosher-Ashley

P. M.

2002. “Children’s Fears About Personal Aging.” Educational Gerontology 28:561-75.

30.

O’Rand

1996. “The Precious and the Precocious: Understanding Cumulative Disadvantage and Cumulative Advantage Over the Life Course.” The Gerontologist 36(2):230-38.

31.

Ory

Hoffman

M. K.

Hawkins

Sanner

Mockenhaupt

2003. “Challenging Aging Stereotypes: Strategies for Creating a More Active Society.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 25:164-71.

32.

Palmore

E. B.

1977. “Facts on Aging: A Short Quiz.” The Gerontologist 17:315-20.

33.

Palmore

E. B.

1988. Facts on Aging Quiz. New York: Springer.

34.

Palmore

E. B.

1990. Ageism: Negative and Positive. New York: Springer.

35.

Palmore

E. B.

2001. “The Ageism Survey: First Findings.” The Gerontologist 41:572-75.

36.

Pettigrew

T. F.

Tropp

L. R.

2006. “A Meta-analytic Test of Intergroup Contact Theory.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 90:751-83.

37.

Ross

C. E.

Drentea

1998. “Consequences of Retirement Activities for Distress and the Sense of Personal Control.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 39(4):317-34.

38.

Silverstein

Abramson

2008. “How Baby Boomers in the United States Anticipate Their Aging Future: Implications for the Silver Market.” Pp. 55-69 in The Silver Market Phenomenon, edited by Kohlbacher

Herstatt

New York: Springer.

39.

Torres-Gil

2005. “Ageing and Public Policy in Ethnically Diverse Societies.” Pp. 670-81 in The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing, edited by Jonhson

M. L.

Bengtson

V. L.

Coleman

P. G.

Kirkwood

T. B.

Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

40.

U.S. Census Bureau. 2004. “U.S. Interim Projections by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin.” Retrieved September 30, 2008 ( http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/usinterimproj/ ).

41.

U.S. Census Bureau. 2008a. “Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007.” Retrieved September 30, 2008 ( www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf ).

42.

U.S. Census Bureau. 2008b. “An Older and More Diverse Nation by Mid-century.” Retrieved September 30, 2008 ( http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb08-123.html ).

43.

U.S. Census Bureau. 2009. “Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007.” Retrieved September 30, 2008 ( http://www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p20-560.pdf ).

44.

Yun

R. J.

Lachman

M. E.

2006. “Perceptions of Aging in Two Cultures: Korean and American Views on Old Age.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology 21: 55-70.