Student attitudes towards working with elderly patients are crucial for geriatric care.
Understanding factors influencing these attitudes is essential for medical training.
Purpose of the Study:
To investigate the relationship between medical students' attitudes and their willingness to work with elderly patients.
To assess the impact of a geriatric rotation on these attitudes.
Main Methods:
A pretest/post-test design was employed with 148 third-year medical students.
A multidimensional questionnaire was administered twice over an eight-week period.
Statistical analyses included correlation and multiple regression.
Main Results:
Positive correlations were found between intention to work with the elderly and factors like prior contact, perceived rewards, comfort, and positive stereotypes.
The strongest predictor of post-rotation intention was pre-rotation intention, indicating attitude stability.
Students rated the geriatric rotation positively, yet it did not significantly alter their core intentions.
Conclusions:
Medical students' intentions to work with the elderly are influenced by various factors, but are relatively stable.
Geriatric rotations may not substantially change pre-existing attitudes or intentions.
Curriculum development should consider strategies to foster positive attitudes and intentions towards geriatric medicine early in training.