How Much Is One Life Worth? The Right to Equity Healthcare for Improving Older Patients’ Health Infected by COVID-19

Guiomar Merodio, Mimar Ramis-Salas, Diana Valero and Adriana Aubert
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Guiomar Merodio: Department of Education, Nebrija University, Santa Cruz de Marcenado, 27, 28015 Madrid, Spain
Mimar Ramis-Salas: Department of Sociology, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal, 690, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Diana Valero: Department of Education, Nebrija University, Santa Cruz de Marcenado, 27, 28015 Madrid, Spain
Adriana Aubert: Department of Sociology, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal, 690, 08034 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 17, 1-15

Abstract: Ageism has a tremendous negative impact on elderly persons and society. Discrimination against the elderly is a driver of health and social inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed new social and health challenges regarding resource scarcity and shortfalls. Under these difficult circumstances, discourses excluding, and discrimination against, older people have aroused. This article gathers evidence on hospital healthcare experiences of older people infected by COVID-19 during the pandemic outbreak in Spain and it analyzes elements that have positively influenced older patients’ perceived health and well-being. We conducted nine qualitative in-depth interviews in Madrid—one of the regions of Spain most affected by COVID-19—with older people that were hospitalized and recovered from COVID-19, family members of old patients infected with COVID-19, and nurses that attended infected older patients. Findings show the challenging experiences faced by older people who were hospitalized due to COVID-19, on the one hand, and the relevance of transformative aspects related to family relationships, solidarity actions, and humanized care that overcame age discrimination, favoring social and equity healthcare for the elderly on the other hand.

Keywords: ageism; equity healthcare; COVID-19; elderly people; human rights (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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