dc.contributor.author |
Zhang, Jingjing |
|
dc.contributor.author |
Liu, Xiaoting |
|
dc.coverage.spatial |
Germany |
|
dc.date.accessioned |
2021-05-10T23:52:19Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2021-05-10T23:52:19Z |
|
dc.date.issued |
2021-3-18 |
|
dc.identifier.citation |
European journal of ageing 18(2):149-158 Jun 2021 |
|
dc.identifier.issn |
1613-9372 |
|
dc.identifier.uri |
https://hdl.handle.net/2292/55058 |
|
dc.description.abstract |
Older adults have gained great media attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were believed to be vulnerable to the novel virus based on clinical data and epidemiological evidence. The high volume of media coverage played an important role in calling for improved public health services for the older population. Nevertheless, problematic media representations of older people might evoke or amplify ageism during the pandemic. Therefore, drawing on empirical data collected from five mainstream Chinese media outlets between January 3 and May 3, 2020, this study examined how the media constructed the vulnerability of older adults and its underlying ageist thinking during the pandemic. The findings showed that the media had clear preferences in constructing older people as passive recipients while seeking resources from families, public institutions and governments at various levels to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, the media adopted a biomedical-centred framework presenting older people as a homogenous group that was vulnerable to the pandemic. In addition, we found that the media representations of older adults intensified the dichotomised relationship between the young and the old, causing the younger generations to perceive older people as a 'threat' to public health. Moving beyond the Chinese case, this article appeals to the media to be socially responsible by avoiding the stereotyping of the older population and uniting the whole society to combat COVID-19. The findings of this study will help raise awareness among policymakers and care service providers, which is crucial to eliminating ageist attitudes across society and to further allowing the values of older individuals to be fully recognised. |
|
dc.language |
eng |
|
dc.publisher |
Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
|
dc.relation.ispartofseries |
Eur J Ageing |
|
dc.rights |
Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. |
|
dc.rights |
The version of record of this article, first published in European journal of ageing, is available online at Publisher’s website: http://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-021-00613-x |
|
dc.rights.uri |
https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm |
|
dc.rights.uri |
https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/publication-policies/self-archiving-policy |
|
dc.subject |
Ageism |
|
dc.subject |
COVID-19 |
|
dc.subject |
China |
|
dc.subject |
Media representation |
|
dc.subject |
Older people |
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dc.subject |
Vulnerability |
|
dc.subject |
1117 Public Health and Health Services |
|
dc.subject |
1701 Psychology |
|
dc.title |
Media representation of older people's vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. |
|
dc.type |
Journal Article |
|
dc.identifier.doi |
10.1007/s10433-021-00613-x |
|
pubs.begin-page |
1 |
|
dc.date.updated |
2021-04-27T00:16:40Z |
|
dc.rights.holder |
Copyright: The authors |
en |
pubs.author-url |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33758584 |
|
pubs.end-page |
10 |
|
pubs.publication-status |
Published online |
|
dc.rights.accessrights |
http://purl.org/eprint/accessRights/OpenAccess |
en |
pubs.subtype |
Journal Article |
|
pubs.elements-id |
850615 |
|
dc.identifier.eissn |
1613-9380 |
|
dc.identifier.pii |
613 |
|
pubs.online-publication-date |
2021-3-18 |
|