Older adults’ report of fight-or-flight and other acute stress responses to ageism and linkages to health

Objectives Exposure to ageism is believed to trigger fight-or-flight responses, compel certain behaviors, and make people self-conscious about their age, cumulatively increasing long-term health risks. This study investigated relationships between everyday ageism, self-reported acute stress responses following experiences with ageism, and health.Method Analyses employed cross-sectional data from the Experiences of Aging in Society project (2021–2023, N = 236, Mage 65, 72% women) and parallel mediation models. Health outcomes were number of chronic physical health conditions and having a mental health condition.Results Most participants reported behavioral (95.7%) and psychological (66.1%) responses to ageism experienced in the past 12 months, while fewer reported aging-conscious (56.8%) and physiological (36.0%) responses. Higher everyday ageism levels were associated with greater report of all four stress responses (p-values < 0.001). More everyday ageism predicted greater likelihood of having a mental health condition via its indirect effect on physiological stress responses. Other acute stress responses were associated with health but did not mediate everyday ageism-health associations.Conclusion Asking older adults about their acute stress responses to ageism is a promising strategy in research investigating mechanisms implicating ageism in poor health outcomes. In clinical practice, this may increase self-awareness and adoption of healthy strategies to manage ageism-related responses and coping.