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<h4>Background</h4>Perceived ageism may affect health in later life, but longitudinal associations across diverse outcomes, particularly cognitive and functional outcomes, remain unclear. We examined these associations among community-dwelling older adults in Japan.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a secondary outcome-wide longitudinal analysis using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), a nationwide cohort of community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older. Perceived ageism was measured in 2019 as self-reported age-based discrimination experienced in the preceding 12 months. Participants were followed for 3 years, with outcomes assessed in 2022. A total of 47 outcomes across health and well-being domains were examined. Regression models adjusted for prespecified baseline covariates, including prior outcome measures when available, were used with Bonferroni correction. Sex-stratified and sensitivity analyses, including E-value analyses, were also performed.<h4>Results</h4>Among participants with observed exposure data in the survey-based sample, 335 of 4299 (7.8%) reported perceived ageism. After correction for multiple comparisons, perceived ageism was significantly associated with lower happiness (β, -0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.27 to -0.11), increased depressive symptoms (β, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.29), and higher risks of incident dementia (odds ratio [OR], 1.77; 95% CI, 1.31 to 2.39), incident functional disability at any level (risk ratio [RR], 1.42; 95% CI, 1.21 to 1.67), and incident functional disability at Level 2 or higher (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.30). Sex-stratified estimates suggested associations with functional disability at Level 2 or higher among men and with lower happiness and greater depressive symptoms among women, although multiplicative interaction tests by sex were not statistically significant and additive interaction findings were only nominal.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Perceived ageism was associated with adverse mental, cognitive, and functional outcomes over a 3-year period. These findings support recognizing ageism as a potentially modifiable social determinant of health and well-being in later life.

Abstract: PubMed · Datensatz