Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Objective: To assess the content of Brazilian Instagram posts related to older adults and Dentistry, with a specific focus on ageism. Methods: A search was conducted using Instagram's search tool with the following Portuguese keywords: “Odontogeriatria”, “Odontologia geriátrica”, “Odontologia do idoso”, “Saúde bucal do idoso”, and “Saúde bucal na terceira idade”. Results were filtered using relevant hashtags. A maximum of 150 of the most relevant publicly available posts were analyzed. Data collection included profile and content analysis, identification of ageist content or depictions of perceived frailty, and the characteristics of images featuring older adults. The data were tabulated and analyzed descriptively. Results: Ageism was identified in 26.4% of the posts, and 14% exhibited negative connotations, often portraying the stereotypical frail older adult as a white woman with gray or white hair. All of them originated from professional profiles. Conclusions: A significant proportion of Brazilian Instagram posts on Dentistry for older adults reflected ageism, often perpetuating culturally ingrained stereotypes of frailty in old age. These findings highlight the need for raising awareness and developing educational initiatives to combat ageism and promote a more inclusive perspective on aging within society
Authors: Magáli Beck Guimarães, Renan Vaz Machry, João Candido Fernandes de Carvalho, Maitê Machado Mota, Alexandre Favero Bulgarelli, Luciana De Rezende Pinto, Leonardo Marchini
Language: English
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4417461587