Attitudes of medical students to old people: a cross-national comparative study

Abstract

Medical students' attitudes to the elderly were compared at the start and finish of a 5-week clinical attachment in health care of the elderly at the Christchurch School of Medicine. The study investigated students in their first clinical year (fourth year of their medical course) over five terms using a questionnaire employing a Rosencranz-McNevin semantic differential scale to measure general attitudes to old age and a Likert scale to measure attitudes to medical care. A question was also asked about career preferences. There was significant improvement in attitudes measured by both scales (Rosencranz-McNevin P less than 0.001, Likert P less than 0.001). Students also showed an increase in interest in health care of the elderly as a career choice. When compared with two cohorts of students from Nottingham Medical School, attitudes were significantly better in the Christchurch group at the commencement of the run. Students at both schools showed an improvement in knowledge but this was more marked for Christchurch students.

Why medical students do not choose a career in geriatrics: a systematic review

“…Afterwards, significantly more of the students attached to geriatric medicine were prepared to consider a career with elderly patients [15, 16]. Two other studies also reported an increase in interest after an attachment to healthcare of the elderly, lasting five weeks and one month respectively, but the statistical significance is not mentioned [17, 18]. …”

Changing Nursing Students' Attitudes About Aging: An Argument For The Successful Aging Paradigm

“…Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or medical research on disease and disability'' (Jeste, 2005, p. 323). Negative attitudes about aging affect career choices and the quality of health care older adults receive (Gomez, Otto, Blattstein, & Gomez, 1985;Happell & Brooker, 2001;McKinlay & Cowan, 2003;Philipose, Tate, & Jacobs, 1991;Sainsbury, Wilkinson, & Smith, 1992;Spier & Yurick, 1989). Nurses with negative attitudes toward older persons, for example, often favor using physical and chemical restraints rather than less restrictive behavioral management strategies (Armstrong-Esther & Browne, 1986;Hardin et al, 1993;Helmuth, 1995;Wilkes, LeMiere, & Walker, 1998).…”

“…Modeling humanistic caring in the teacher-learner relationship transmits the values and norms that are key to the care of older adults in any setting (Higgins, 1996;Simonson, 1996). Evidence further suggests that (a) attitudes of nursing students toward older adults are generally negative (Happell & Brooker, 2001;Fajemilehin, 2004;McLafferty & Morrison, 2004;Philipose et al, 1991); (b) the more knowledge and experience health care providers have with older adults, the more positive their attitudes (Freeman, 2003;Sainsbury, Wilkinson, & Smith, 1994;Sheffler, 1995;Strumpf & Tomes, 1993); (c) negative attitudes about older adults can be transmitted to students by faculty (McLafferty & Morrison, 2004); (d) attitudes affect the quality of care clients receive (Philipose et al, 1991;Spier & Yurick, 1989); and (e) attitudes and role models affect students' career choices (Happell & Brooker, 2001;McKinlay & Cowan, 2003;McLafferty & Morrison, 2004;Sainsbury et al, 1992;Williams, Nowak, & Scobee, 2006). Working with older adults after graduating continues to be students' least preferred career choice (Fajemilehin, 2004;Williams et al, 2006).…”

Factors Influencing College Students to Choose Careers Working With Elderly Persons

“…Sainsbury, Wilkinson and Smith (1992) found that medical students' 5-week clinical rotation in the care of the elderly increased interest in health care of elders as a career choice. This indicates that actual experience, rather than classroom study, may be an in uence on the pursuit it of such careers.…”