Effects of a social gerontology course on the knowledge and attitudes toward older adults among undergraduate medical students: A quasi-experimental study

Background: China is facing a rapidly growing elderly population, accompanied by a shortage of healthcare providers specializing in gerontology, which poses challenges for workforce planning. Despite some institutions having established specialized geriatric programs, the number of geriatric healthcare professionals they train is very limited. Exploring effective strategies to enhance students' knowledge, attitudes, and interest in aging is essential for promoting geriatric workforce development. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a social gerontology course on the knowledge and attitudes toward older adults, as well as their interest in working with older adults, among undergraduate medical students.

Methods: In this single-group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study, twenty-one undergraduate medical students from a medical university in southwest China, who were enrolled in a newly established social gerontology course, were recruited to participate. Participants completed the social gerontology course, which consisted of 11 lectures and 2 social practice sessions, totaling 1280 minutes. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (one week before the course) and at six-month follow-up. Knowledge of older adults was measured using the Chinese version of Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz (CFAQ1), attitudes toward older adults using the Chinese version of Kogan's Attitudes Toward Older People (CKAOP), and interest in working with older adults using a single-item Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests were used for data analysis.

Results: Data analysis revealed a significant increase in participants' knowledge of older adults (t=-17.689, r=0.969, p<0.01), significant increase in students' attitudes (t=-8.703, r=0.899, p <0.01), and an increased interest in working with older adults (t=-3.873, r=0.655, p <0.01). 

Conclusions: The course on social gerontology can effectively enhance undergraduate medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and interest in older adults, thereby increasing the likelihood that they will choose careers related to gerontology in the future.