Aging Quiz Research Articles

Exploring Knowledge of Aging in Speech-Language Pathologists: A Follow-Up Empirical Study

Purpose: Almost 40% of certified speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are employed in health care facilities where the percentage of aging patients is increasing. Historical research indicates a high level of implicit bias surrounding aging within the profession. The purpose of this study was to examine the current state of knowledge and implicit bias among medically based SLPs. Method: An online survey was distributed using a secure platform, and convenience sampling was conducted. Medical SLPs ( N = 70) completed the Facts on Aging Quiz and questions detailing practice settings, experience, and other demographic information. Results: Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with confidence intervals and segregated into demographic groups. Overall, the scores indicated less than optimal knowledge and implicit bias among the participants, with an M score of 67. Median and mode scores were 68. Analysis of variance between the groups showed no significant differences in ethnicity, work setting, age, experience, education, or percent of aging patients on caseload. Conclusions: Compared with seminal research, little has changed in 20 years. This investigation, although relatively small in sample size, highlights the need for increased education and focuses on aging populations.

Knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older people and willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation among rehabilitation students in southwestern China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAs the global elderly population rises, providing quality care for older adults is increasingly challenging. Rehabilitation technicians are crucial in this effort. Their knowledge and attitudes significantly impact care quality and their willingness to work with the elderly. While many studies have examined healthcare professionals’ attitudes toward older adults, few focus on rehabilitation students. This study assesses Chinese rehabilitation students’ knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older individuals, willingness to care for them, and the factors influencing these aspects.MethodsA sample of 890 rehabilitation students from three colleges and universities in southwestern China was investigated with a self-administered questionnaire, which included socio-demographic information, the Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz, the Kogan’s Attitude towards Older People Scale and the Chinese Version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0. Descriptive statistics were used to illustrate the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The frequency and percentage of responses was calculated. Means and standard deviations were computed for general knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older people, and empathy. Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA assessed differences in FAQ, KAOP, and IRI-C scores between groups. Pearson’s correlation examined correlations among general knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older people and empathy ability. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests compared willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation across different respondent characteristics. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis explored the independent effect of different variables on attitudes toward older people.ResultsThe Chinese rehabilitation students from three colleges and universities in southwestern China displayed a relatively low level of knowledge about aging, but a generally positive attitude towards older people. Females had significantly more positive attitudes toward older people than males(p<0.01). The students who had previous experience of being cared for by (maternal) grandparents, living with the elderly, and taking care of the elderly showed significantly more positive attitudes toward older people (p = 0.001, 0.007 and 0.007, respectively) and a significantly stronger willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation(p = 0.013, <0.01 and <0.01, respectively) than those who had not had these experiences. Students with good relationships with older people had more positive attitudes toward the elderly (p < 0.01) and greater willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation (p < 0.01). Those with frequent contact with the elderly also showed more positive attitudes (p < 0.01) and a stronger willingness to engage in geriatric rehabilitation (p = 0.002) compared to those with less contact. Knowledge of aging and empathy ability were both significantly positively related to attitudes toward older people and both independent predictors of attitudes toward older people(r = 0.143, p<0.01 and r = 0.337, p<0.01).ConclusionsIt is crucial to prepare rehabilitation students with adequate knowledge and positive attitudes to ensure the quality of rehabilitation and care provided to older people. Educators should adopt effective strategies to promote rehabilitation students’ geriatric rehabilitation knowledge and increase their positive attitudes toward older people.

Impact of a Geriatric Pharmacy Elective on Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Empathy Regarding Older Adults

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of a Geriatric Pharmacy elective on pharmacy students’ knowledge, attitudes, and empathy regarding older adults. MethodsEnrolled students in a 15-week Geriatric Pharmacy elective during 3 consecutive academic years were invited to complete a precourse and postcourse survey. The survey consisted of the revised Palmore facts on aging quiz, the University of California at Los Angeles geriatric attitudes scale, the Kiersma-Chen empathy scale, and demographic questions. The presurvey and postsurvey data were compared and the impact of demographic factors on student knowledge, attitudes, and empathy was assessed in an exploratory analysis. ResultsSixty-six students participated in the study. Scores on the revised Palmore facts on aging quiz and the University of California at Los Angeles geriatric attitudes scale increased significantly postsurvey compared with presurvey. Student scores on the Kiersma-Chen empathy scale increased on the postsurvey compared with the presurvey, but this increase was not statistically significant. Student self-reported experience with older adults, race, and the course year impacted student performance. ConclusionA geriatric elective positively impacted the students’ knowledge and attitudes toward older adults. Future research should include validity and reliability testing of geriatric assessment scales in a diverse student population to ensure effective assessment of student knowledge, attitudes, and empathy in this patient population.

The role of knowledge and attitudes toward older adults in understanding nursing students’ inclination to work with them: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Singapore’s population is aging. Currently, 15% of Singapore’s population is 65 years and above. Low birth rates and high life expectancy have fueled a high demand for geriatric care in Singapore. This research explores the role of knowledge that nursing students have about aging, their attitudes toward older adults, and their inclination to pursue careers in geriatric nursing. This cross-sectional study administered standardized scales to understand 347 nursing students’ knowledge (Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz), attitudes (Kogan’s Attitudes toward Older People) and inclinations (Nolan’s Intent to Work with Older People). Results showed that Singapore nursing students have a moderate level of knowledge about aging and showed a strong willingness to work with older adults. Younger students displayed higher knowledge, better attitudes, and a greater inclination to work with older adults than older students. Furthermore, local students exhibited higher knowledge, more positive attitudes, and greater interest in working with older adults than their international counterparts. This study, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed valuable insights into our nursing students’ perspectives on aging. Nursing students displayed a moderate understanding of aging, a positive attitude toward older adults and a strong desire to serve them, suggesting a potential future workforce ready to fulfill the demands of Singapore’s aging population. This insight is valuable for educators, guiding them to bridge knowledge gaps and foster open conversations about aging.

Knowledge, Attitude and Willingness to Work with Older Adults Among Nursing Students in Nepal

Background: Globally, the number of older persons is growing faster and with aging co-morbidity increases, resulting in declined health outcomes, high mortality and increased use of health care resources. The need for production of nurses with the right attitude and knowledge on aging is crucial to improve their willingness to care for older adults. Objectives of the study aims to identify the knowledge, attitude and willingness to work with older adults among nursing students in Nepal.&#x0D; Methods: Cross- sectional research design was used and the settings for the study were four constituent nursing campuses of TU IOM (Biratnagar, Pokhara, Birgunj and Nepalgunj), population were B.Sc Nursing and BNS students. Census method was adopted to collect the data through a self-administered questionnaire through email. Questionnaire was developed based on Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz (Revised) and Willingness to Work with Elderly People Scale (WEPS). Descriptive and inferential statistics (Chi square test, Correlation) was used to analyze the data.&#x0D; Results: The findings suggested that among 148 nursing students, 50.7% had good knowledge on elderly care with mean ±SD =26.66 ± 3.44. More than half of the participants (52%) had favorable attitude on elderly care with median score 26 and 63.5% had willing to care elderly with Mean ± SD = 20.61 ± 5.37.&#x0D; Conclusions: Nursing students had good knowledge with favorable attitudes and had a willingness to work and care for the elderly. This study tends to associate between willingness to care for older adults with positive attitudes and knowledge on ageing among nursing students.

Analysis of Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Latent Profile Methods

Background: Nursing students' attitudes toward older adults was considered as one of the main reasons of willingness to provide elderly care. Previous studies could not consider the heterogeneity characteristics of nursing students' attitudes towards older adults. This study was to identify nursing students' attitude towards the elderly using Latent Profle Analysis (LPA) and discussed the influence factors of different potential attitudes. Methods: 622 participants were included. Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz, Kogan's Attitude Toward Older People Scale and Interpersonal Reactivity Index were completed. LPA and Logistic regression were used to categorize participants into distinct KAOP subgroups and identify predictors of KAOP subgroup classification, respectively. Results: Latent Profles Analysis produced two profiles: Positive attitude (60.1%, n = 373), negative attitude (39.9%, n = 249). Positive attitude towards the elderly was decreased from 95.8% to 60.1% based on the population heterogeneity. Logistic regression analysis revealed that multiple-child family, the relationship with older adults, knowledge of aging, perspective-taking and empathic concern affect nursing students' attitude towards the elderly. Conclusions: Targeted interventions to improve attitudes might focus on those subgroups from person-oriented approach through helping them to build good relationship with older adults, strengthening knowledge of aging and cultivating empathy.

DOES THE FACTS ON AGING QUIZ ASSESS AGING STEREOTYPES?

Abstract The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Report on Ageism urges researchers to develop and validate assessment tools, thus enabling the field to better address ageism. This study assesses the internal consistency and construct validity of a short Facts on Aging Quiz (SFAQ, 10-items). We hypothesize that the SFAQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing aging stereotypes. Data from the National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging 2022 Needs Assessment were utilized. Data were collected via an online survey through a convenience sample of the National Aging Network (n=1,910). Three aging perspective tools were included: SFAQ, Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA, 12-items), and the WHO Ageism Quiz (AQ, 8-items). An exploratory factor analysis assessed whether negative (NEG) and positive (POS)-stereotype SFAQ items emerged as constructs. The factor analysis showed that NEG and POS-SFAQ accounted for 31.39% and 19.63% of the total variance, respectively. Cronbach alpha evaluated the internal consistency of the tools. Internal consistency for ERA (α=.81) and AQ (α=.57) were acceptable but low for total SFAQ (α=.28); reliability was acceptable for NEG-SFAQ (α=.71) and lower for POS-SFAQ (α=.40). Pearson correlation assessed convergent validity, with a significance level of p&amp;lt;.0001 (df=1,908) for all correlations. A negative correlation was detected between POS-SFAQ and ERA (r=-.31) and positive correlations between NEG-SFAQ and both ERA (r=.55) and AQ (r=.65), confirming convergent validity. POS-SFAQ was negatively correlated with NEG-SFAQ (r=-.19), suggesting the SFAQ may contain conflicting items. In conclusion, versions of the FAQ may perform better as a tool to assess aging stereotypes.

RELATION OF SPECIFIC DOMAINS OF AGING KNOWLEDGE AND CONTACT TO AGEIST ATTITUDES AMONG DOCTORAL PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS

Abstract Knowledge about aging and intergenerational contact were identified in Levy’s (2018) Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences (PEACE) model as the two elements that are key to reducing ageist attitudes. Existing empirical literature examining these relationships has primarily focused on undergraduate, rather than graduate, students and has typically operationalized knowledge about aging as a unidimensional construct (i.e., total score). Thus, in this study, we examined how knowledge within three specific domains of aging (psychological, social, biological) as well as quantity of contact with older adults related to ageist attitudes among doctoral psychology students (N=192; age=21-58 years). Participants completed the Contact with Older Adults Scale, Facts about Aging Quiz, Fraboni Scale of Ageism (subscales: Stereotypes, Separation, Affective Attitudes), and Ambivalent Aging Scale (subscales: Hostile Ageism, Benevolent Ageism). Controlling for students’ age and aging coursework, the three knowledge domains and contact together explained between 8%-24% of the variance in the five measures of ageist attitudes. As expected, greater knowledge of psychological aging related to less endorsement of ageist stereotypes and less separation from older adults; however, greater knowledge of biological aging related to more ageist attitudes across all five measures, and greater knowledge of social aging related to more benevolent ageist attitudes. More contact with older adults related to less separation and less negative affect about older adults, but not to the other ageist attitudes measures. Differentiating between domains of aging knowledge produced unique relations with both explicitly negative and ambivalent ageist attitudes, which ageism intervention designers may need to consider.

EFFECTS OF CONSERVATIVE VALUES AND AGING KNOWLEDGE ON YOUNG ADULTS’ AGEISM AGAINST OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Ageism – the stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination of individuals solely based on age – is an unfortunately prevalent phenomenon for older adults to experience from young adults, and increased ageism among young adults has been associated with more conservative values and beliefs. Previous interventions to reduce ageism in young adults have focused on increasing knowledge about aging and contact between generations, since greater aging knowledge is associated with decreased ageism. However, recent studies identify multiple forms of ageism, including negative ageism (e.g., beliefs about older adults’ lack of cognitive and physical ability) and positive ageism (e.g., stereotypes of older people as warm and reliable). This study therefore examined the relationships between young adults’ conservative values, aging knowledge, and both negative and positive ageism about older adults. Participants were young adults (N = 459), ages 18 to 25 years (M = 20.10, SD = 1.76), who completed the Relating to Older People Evaluation, Social and Economic Conservatism Scale, and Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz in an online survey. Results showed that conservatism was positively associated with negative and positive ageism, while aging knowledge was only negatively associated with negative ageism. Hierarchical regressions found that aging knowledge explained significant variance in negative ageism when controlling for conservatism, but only conservatism explained variance in positive ageism. These findings suggest that interventions including education on aging for young adults may be able to overcome the negative ageism associated with conservative values, but that positive ageism may not be meaningfully addressed by such education-based interventions.

Association between ageing knowledge and willingness to care for older adults among nursing students in China: the mediating role of attitude towards older adults

ABSTRACT Little is known about the mediating effect of attitude toward older adults on the relationship between aging knowledge and willingness to care for older adults. We applied the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the knowledge-attitude-behavior (KAB) model as theoretical frameworks to examine the mediation effect of attitude toward older adults. Data from 388 Chinese nursing students were analyzed. The Willingness to Care for Older People (WCOP) scale, Kogan’s Attitude toward Older People scale (KAOP) and Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) were utilized to assess willingness, attitude and aging knowledge, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22. 0 with the PROCESS macro. Bootstrap methods were used to obtain the significance of mediating effects. The study showed that aging knowledge was significantly associated with willingness to care for older adults and that attitude toward older adults mediated the association. Bootstrapping method confirmed the significance of the indirect effect of aging knowledge through attitude, accounting for 18.9% of the total willingness variance. Overall, based on the TPB and the KAB theoretical framework, our data support the notion that improving aging knowledge and attitude may contribute to improve the willingness to aged care among nursing students.

PREPARING THE NURSING WORKFORCE TO CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract Nurses entering the workforce may have limited education in gerontological nursing. Therefore, many nurses are unprepared to provide quality care to older adults. An unprepared nursing workforce could negatively influence older adults’ health outcomes. This study aimed to determine differences in senior nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceived competency about older adults based on enrollment in a bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN), associate’s degree nursing (ADN), and practical nursing (PN) program that offers geriatric content in curricula. Albert Bandura’s social cognitive, triadic reciprocal determinism model provided the theoretical framework to underpin this research study. A non-experimental, descriptive survey design included a convenience sample of students enrolled in a BSN, ASN, and PN program. A total of 178 students participated in the study. Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz 2, Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Old People Scale, and the Hartford Geriatric Nurse Competency tool was used to collect data. From the results, it is clear that students enrolled in BSN, ADN, and PN programs demonstrated limited knowledge about facts on aging. Students’ attitudes toward older adults were positive, and a correlation was found between knowledge and attitudes. Students perceived competency about older adults was high but purely subjective. Students’ preference to work with older adults post-graduation in the PN group was higher than students in the BSN and ADN groups. These findings underscore the need to systematically design an evidence-based curriculum inclusive of geriatric content across (BSN, ADN, and PN) programs to prepare the nursing workforce to care for older adults.

AGEISM: AGING KNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVES OF THE AGING NUTRITION NETWORK

Abstract Addressing ageism is essential to support older adult well-being. The Nutrition and Aging Resource Center (NRCNA) (1) examined the general characteristics, aging perceptions, and preferred training modalities of national aging nutrition network providers and (2) measured the impact an ageism webinar had on topic familiarity, knowledge, and behavioral intent. Frequencies were run to analyze the characteristics, aging perceptions, and behavioral intent while Wilcoxon signed rank tests measured outcome changes. Ageism was assessed via the W.H.O. Ageism Quiz (AQ) while aging perceptions were measured with the Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) and Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA). Respondents (n=1910) were primarily female (63%), non-Hispanic (90%), and white (87%) with an average age of 50 years. At least one-half had moderate ageism and aging perspective scores [Mean scores: AQ = 4.9±1.9 (max 8); FAQ =5.9±1.8 (max 10); ERA = 54.4±18.7 (max 100)]. The most preferred continuing education format was live webinars (44.3%). In response, a one-hour webinar about unconscious aging bias was offered in June 2022. A retrospective evaluation was used to assess the webinar impact (n=130 responses). A significant increase in subject matter familiarity (Z= -8.8, p &amp;lt; 0.0001) and knowledge (Z= -8.5, p &amp;lt; 0.0001) was noted. Further, analyses revealed positive attitudes (beneficial, good idea), perceived behavior control, indirect social norms (client support), and intent to reflect on past interactions with an older adult(s) to see how age-related biases might have influenced those interactions. These results illustrate the need for and the impact of ageism awareness training among those who work with the aging population.

FIRST-YEAR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY STUDENTS KNOWLEDGE OF AGING; SUGGESTIONS FOR CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS

Abstract There is a rising shortage of allied healthcare professionals, including occupational therapists, to meet the current and expected needs of the senior adult population. To educate occupational therapy students, there are national standards that all programs have to meet. Inconsistency occurs because there is not a set national curriculum. It is assumed that students will enter their respective occupational therapy programs with a base knowledge of aging due to prerequisite requirements. With IRB approval, that assumption was measured over four consecutive years at one prominent OT program. 192 first-semester occupational therapy students were administered the Facts on Aging Quiz along with additional questions regarding birth year and anticipated employment. Results showed that first-year occupational therapy students’ knowledge of aging was poor (67.9% mean) regardless of their age or population work preference. Only 11.5% stated geriatrics was their preferred population with which to work; most students stated pediatrics. Statistical tests indicated a trend of decreasing mean scores of the cohorts. If this trend of decreasing gerontological literacy exists in occupational therapy, other health care disciplines may be experiencing similar fates. It appears there is a considerable gap between the needs of society and the knowledge base/desired population work preference of those entering healthcare education. Strategies to address that gap need to be addressed to prepare occupational therapy students and other health care practitioners to best meet the needs of the current population. Based on these study results, more emphasis needs to be placed on gerontological literacy for new occupational therapy students.

CHANGING AGING MYTHS AND READINESS FOR INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER STUDENTS

Abstract The preparation of Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students caring for the older adult population is inadequate. The design was a quasi-experimental pilot study (N = 30) to assess change in myths about aging and readiness for interprofessional education (IPE) in FNP students near graduation. The Woolf Aging Quiz (WAQ) containing 24 true-false myths about older adults, and the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) containing 19 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (high score indicates more readiness), were completed at baseline and post-intervention. The intervention consisted of 4-weeks of education on normal aging, agism, age friendly healthcare, and IPE using online weekly brief video presentations and peer discussion. Thirty FNP students, mean age 43.5 years, 80.6% (N = 25) female, 19.4% (N = 6) male. A paired t-test showed no significant pre-post difference in the WAQ (t = -1.388, p &amp;lt; .05). McNemar crosstab analysis of the WAQ items indicated 14 aging myths where students chose the wrong answer pre and post intervention. In addition, the RIPLS showed no significant change (t = .793, p &amp;lt; .05) from pre-intervention (mean = 35.87) to post-intervention (mean = 34.42). FNP students near graduation held strong ageist beliefs, reflected in the WAQ, and were unprepared for IPE. Both of these results were resistant to change. The data suggests that FNP programs need to address aging and IPE content earlier and provide students with exposure to older adults that addresses myths about aging affords both theoretical and practical opportunities for interprofessional learning.

A cross-sectional study: exploring knowledge and attitude of medical and nursing students to Care for Elders in the future

BackgroundAll societies are going through a longevity revolution. Inflating the elderly’s age group will present many challenges to the healthcare system. A better health workforce is needed to meet this demand. Little is known about the knowledge and attitude of medical and nursing students toward geriatric care in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to explore medical and nursing students’ knowledge about aging, and their attitude toward caring for older adults.MethodA cross-sectional study using two surveys: the fact on aging quiz to assess knowledge and the UCLA geriatric attitude scale to evaluate attitudes. A total of 494 medical and nursing students from three universities in Saudi Arabia were included.ResultsKnowledge and attitude scores were 13.57/23 and 3.37/5, respectively. Findings showed that even in a country where the elderly are respected and family bonds are valued there is still much room for improvement. Moreover, there was a significant statistical difference in the knowledge and attitude scores (p < .0001) regarding the participants’ specialty. The nursing participants had higher knowledge scores, while the medical participants had better attitude scores. Overall, Spearman’s correlation coefficient between ranked knowledge and attitude scores was −.339 with a significance of p < .0001, indicating a low negative correlation between the two scores.ConclusionKnowledge and attitude score were fair to moderate, these findings propose enhancing learners’ education and training experiences in the care of the elderly through curricular improvements.

The Effect of Teaching Fundamentals of Geriatric Life on Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes toward Aging

Introduction: Nurses are always involved with caring for elderly patients. They need to increase their knowledge and skills in the field of aging to provide effective care to elderly patients. Moreover, attitudes of nurses affect the quality of care for elderly people. Some interventions such as education are effective tools for improving nurses' knowledge and attitudes to better understand the problems of the elderly. The present study aims at determining the effect of teaching fundamentals of geriatric life on nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward aging.&#x0D; &#x0D; Methods: This was a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest with control group study. It was performed on 91 nurses working in Meybod (44 nurses) and Ardakan Hospitals (47 nurses). Training sessions on fundamentals of geriatric life were conducted for the experimental group. The training program consisted of five training sessions in the field of geriatrics . Data collection instruments included: Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz, and Kogan's Attitude Toward Older People Scale, which were completed three times before, immediately after, and two months after the intervention for both groups.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results: There was no significant difference in knowledge between the two groups before the intervention (p = 0.792). Yet, the knowledge score immediately and two months after the intervention showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p &lt; 0.01). The mean score of attitude before intervention was no significant difference between groups (p = 0.069). However, there was a significant difference in attitude score immediately and two months after the intervention between the experimental and control groups (p &lt; 0.01).&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion: Teaching fundamentals of geriatric nursing to nurses improved their knowledge and attitudes toward the problems and needs of the elderls. Using retraining courses in the field of aging is recommended for nurses.&#x0D;

Perceptions and knowledge of older adults: An analysis of interprofessional education and medically underserved populations

ABSTRACT This study explored an academic Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition (IGCC) experience with a focus on medically underserved populations. Our aims were to assess: the perceptions of and knowledge of older adult populations; and the overall IPE (Interprofessional Education) experience of the IGCC participants. A multi-method study approach was used, the Facts on Aging Quiz assessed knowledge and the Carolina Opinions on Care of Older Adults (COCOA) assessed perceptions. A qualitative thematic approach was utilized to explore the themes of the IPE experience. There was a moderate correlation (0.37, p < .001) between perception and knowledge data of the respondents (N = 94), current professionals (54%) and enrolled students (46%). The three emerged themes were as follows: interprofessional/holistic practice; culturally responsive/older adult centered practice; and the impact of Covid-19. The implementation of IPE that centers medically underserved populations has the potential to: enhance students learning, influence the quality of care, and provide pathways to working within these specific populations.

Acute medical and surgical nurses’ knowledge and attitudes towards ageing and older persons

ABSTRACT In view of population aging, more older persons are being admitted to acute hospitals. However, the level of care that older people receive is suboptimal. Nurses’ negative attitudes and inadequate level of knowledge strongly influence the level of care. The study sought to explore medical and surgical nurses’ knowledge and attitudes related to aging and older persons and to identify factors influencing their knowledge and attitudes. An online questionnaire was distributed to 339 nurses (experience ranging from 1–15 years), working in eleven medical and nine surgical wards within a Maltese acute-care hospital. One hundred and sixty-four questionnaires were collected (response rate: 48.4%). The Kogan’s Attitude toward Old People scale and Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz were used. The association between these two domains and a number of socio-demographic factors was sought. The participants had moderately poor level of knowledge (mean knowledge score:14.87 ± 2.92) and a moderately positive attitude (mean attitude score: 4.48 ± 0.58) about older adults. A Spearman correlation showed a positive relationship between knowledge and attitudes. The only factor positively influencing both knowledge and attitudes, was whether nurses had additional training in gerontology and geriatrics. Moreover, being a charge nurse, working in a surgical ward or having an older person living in the same household, resulted in better knowledge. The study highlights the importance of providing additional geriatrics and gerontological education for acute nurses to improve their knowledge base about aging and their attitudes toward older adults. This could result in older people receiving improved level of nursing care during hospitalization.

Knowledge of Ageing, Attitude towards and Willingness to Work with Older People among Malaysian Undergraduate Nursing Students

Background: Nursing students are the future care providers for the aged population. Thus, they need to be prepared for quality care delivery during their study period at universities or colleges. Objectives: This study aims to determine undergraduate nursing students’ knowledge of ageing, attitudes towards older people and willingness to work with older people. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 141 undergraduate nursing students in a public university in Malaysia. Knowledge of ageing, attitudes towards older people and willingness to work with older people were assessed using standardised tools, namely the Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz, Kogan's Attitudes towards Older People Scale and Nolan's Intent to Work with Older People Questionnaire, respectively. Results: The results showed that 83.7% and 85.8% of the participants had high knowledge of ageing and willingness to work with older people, respectively. Meanwhile, 90.1% of the participants had a negative attitude towards older people. The attitude towards older people and knowledge of ageing were significantly associated with willingness to work with older people. Knowledge of ageing has no significant association with the attitude towards older people. Similarly, there was no significant association between demographic characteristics and knowledge of ageing, attitudes towards older adults and willingness to work with older people. Conclusion: Gerontological nursing education should emphasise clinical experience with older people, specifically in geriatric wards or nursing homes, to create a more positive attitudes towards older adults.

Nurses knowledge and attitude towards care of older patients: A cross-sectional study

The older adult population is very vulnerable and access health care frequently because of their changing needs. Additionally, nurses are the main carers of the older population when they visit the hospital. It is said that individual beliefs and values influence how we perceive and act towards the older population. This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude of nurses towards older adults. The knowledge and attitude of nurses towards the care of older adults has not been studied in Ghana. Hence a survey study was conducted among 40 nurses who had enrolled on a Bachelor of Nursing program using the Fact on Aging Quiz 1, and Kogan’s Attitudes toward Old People Scale from 25th July to 8th August 2019. Results of the study show that even in a country with reverence for older adults and recognised family bonds, poor knowledge and attitudes of nurses toward older adults can affect the quality of health care provided. These findings have implications for nursing education, and clinical practice. Changes across these sectors based on the findings may contribute to improving the quality of health care older adults receive.