Leveraging a contextually sensitive approach to rural geriatric interprofessional education

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Professions Education
• Rural Health

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) is recognized internationally and nationally for preparing health professionals and improving health systems.
• Geriatric IPE initiatives show promise for learners and older adults in rural communities.
• Current IPE initiatives yield mixed results, often overlooking healthcare context complexities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the lack of research on the diversity of rural communities and rural older adult health within IPE.
• To propose contextually sensitive rural gerontological health research as a next step for IPE development.

Main Methods:

• This paper is a conceptual and literature review-based proposal.
• It synthesizes existing research on IPE, rural health, and gerontology.
• It identifies gaps in current IPE research regarding rural contexts.

Main Results:

• Existing IPE research often fails to account for the unique diversity within rural communities.
• There is a significant gap in understanding rural older adult health needs within IPE frameworks.
• Contextually sensitive research is needed to optimize IPE for rural settings.

Conclusions:

• Leveraging rural gerontological health research is essential for advancing IPE.
• Future IPE development must prioritize contextually sensitive approaches for rural populations.
• This approach can lead to more effective preparation of health professionals and better health outcomes for rural older adults.