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State initiatives in geriatric education.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|August 1, 1987
Summary
State initiatives are crucial for advancing geriatric education, but legislative support remains limited. Only six states fund university programs in geriatrics, highlighting a significant gap in academic development for an aging population.
Area of Science:
- Geriatrics and Gerontology Education
- Higher Education Policy
- Public Health Initiatives
Background:
- Established need for geriatric and gerontology curricula.
- Insufficient support for academic geriatric programs despite recognized need.
- Identified barriers: ageism, financial disincentives, faculty shortages, and lack of institutional/federal support.
Purpose of the Study:
- Analyze state-funded university programs in geriatrics and gerontology.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of state initiatives in overcoming development barriers.
- Focus on the California experience as a case study.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a survey across 50 states.
- Utilized two rounds of structured telephone interviews.
- Detailed analysis of the California program's components.
Main Results:
- Only 6 out of 50 states have legislatively initiated support for geriatric programs in higher education.
- These states include Ohio, North Carolina, Kansas, New York, Kentucky, and California.
- 44 states lack dedicated legislative support for geriatric academic programs.
Conclusions:
- State-funded programs offer valuable models for national geriatric education development.
- Significant challenges persist, indicating that current efforts are insufficient.
- Further action is needed to address the identified issues and enhance geriatric academic programs nationwide.