Latent profiles of the perceived age-friendliness of cities and communities in Colombia: relations to ageism experiences in later life

Abstract Age-friendly cities and communities (AFCC), together with initiatives to combat ageism, are recognised as two of the four action areas of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Healthy Ageing, have received global attention. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the distinct experiences of older adults in their cities and communities, as well as the extent to which these experiences are linked to their perceptions of ageism. Using a sample of 398 older adults from four cities in Colombia, a latent profile analysis was conducted via the manual three-step method, incorporating demographic covariates and distal outcomes, to identify distinct AFCC profiles among older adults. Three AFCC profiles emerged from the analysis: “high AFCC except financial support” (59.5%), “mixed AFCC with low outdoor spaces/buildings and financial support” (31.4%), and “low AFCC except respect/inclusion” (9.1%). Older adults with disabilities had a higher probability of belonging to the “mixed AFCC with low outdoor spaces/buildings and financial support” group, while age, gender, and subjective social status showed no significant association with profile membership. In addition, ageism experiences differed among the three profiles, as older adults with lower AFCC scores reported higher levels of ageism. The results suggested both a potential method effect associated with negative items in the AFCC, as well as differences in the contexts captured by the AFCC and ageism measures, with the former anchored in community environments and the latter spanning broader interpersonal, institutional, and self-directed experiences. In sum, our findings highlight the need to understand the distinct patterns in how older adults perceive their cities and communities, as well as identify those who may be “at risk” in specific domains.