The relation of implicit age bias based on negative age stereotypes to the American state prevalence of older adult Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract

This study determined the relation of Implicit Age Bias among respondents aged 20-59 years of age to the 2020 Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevalence among residents 65 years and over with the 48 contiguous American states as analytic units. This implicit measure of state ambient ageism correlated .69 with state AD prevalence and persisted in multiple regression equations considering several controls including older adult poverty rate, high school graduation, bachelor's degree attainment, and multiple chronic conditions. Based on stereotype embodiment theory, the assumption is that the influence of external state-level age bias combined with the personal experiences of state residents leads to the general internalization of negative age stereotypes and ultimately to higher state AD prevalence. The speculation is that such internalization at the individual level leads to adoption of unhealthy behaviors and stress accumulation that eventually produces immunological deficiencies, infections, and inflammation conducive to AD onset and progression.