Aging Clinical and Experimental Research· 2026Q1
Interest in geriatric medicine training among health and social care professionals: the roles of experience and attitudes. Findings from the online survey of the COST Action PROGRAMMING 21122
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
A survey of 5474 health and social care professionals found that higher exposure to older patients (OR 2.73 for 75-100% exposure) and positive attitudes towards engaging with older adults (OR 2.37) significantly increased interest in geriatric medicine training, while lack of prior courses (OR 0.73) decreased it.
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Key points
- 5474 health and social care professionals participated in an online survey.
- Interest in geriatric training increased with higher exposure to older patients (OR 2.73 for 75-100% exposure).
- Positive attitudes towards engaging with older adults were independently associated with interest (OR 2.37).
- Lack of prior courses (OR 0.73) and voluntary work (OR 0.79) were negatively associated with interest.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Background The growth of ageing populations is increasing the requirement for professionals trained to care for older adults. Aims To explore factors associated with interest in further training in geriatrics across health and social care professionals. Methods The COST Action 21122 PROGRAMMING conducted an online open survey to assess interest in geriatric medicine training among health and social care professionals across Europe and beyond. Data on demographics, educational background, clinical rotations, exposure to older patients, and attitudes were collected. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with interest. Results 5474 professionals participated [mean age 42.6 Median 42.0 Std Dev 11.9 Range 18–88 years; women 3967 (72.5%)]. Medical doctors [2162 (39.5%)] nurses [850 (15.5%)] and dentists [509 (9.3%)] were the largest responders. The proportion of older patients in practice showed a dose-response increase in interest [0–25% older patients, OR 1.24 (95% CI 0.98–1.57) and 75–100% category, OR 2.73 (95% CI 2.22–2.35)]. Factors with negative associations included not having had previous courses/lectures (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.65–0.81) and no voluntary work (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.70–0.90). Enjoyment of engaging with older adults was independently associated with interest (OR 2.37, 95% CI 2.18–2.57). Discussion Interest in geriatric training is associated with demographic, experiential, and attitudinal factors. Conclusion These findings give insights for targeted educational strategies, enhanced experiential learning opportunities, and systemic efforts to elevate the prestige of geriatrics to strengthen workforce capacity in ageing societies.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Neuropsychology and Physiological PsychologyPsychology