ikäperäinen

Ikäperäinen is a Finnish adjective meaning age-related or age-dependent. It describes attributes, effects, or phenomena that vary with a person’s age rather than due to other factors. The term is formed from ikä (age) and the derivational suffix -peräinen, which marks a relational or characteristic link.

Usage and scope typically appear in scientific, medical, sociological, and educational contexts. Ikäperäinen is used to denote risk factors, responses, or conditions that change as people grow older or as different age groups are involved. It can contrast with non-age-related factors where age does not determine the outcome. Examples include ikäperäiset riskitekijät (age-related risk factors) for certain diseases, ikäperäiset lääketieteelliset vaikutukset (age-dependent effects of a medication), and ikäperäiset koulutukselliset tarpeet (educational needs tied to developmental stage).

Relation to aging: the term refers to how outcomes or characteristics differ by age, rather than to the process of aging itself. The noun ikääntyminen denotes the process of becoming older, while ikäperäinen focuses on the distribution or pattern of features across age groups.

See also: ikä (age), ikäryhmä (age group), ikääntyminen (aging), ikään liittyvä (age-related).