{"title":"Geriatrics-gerontology training and negative stereotypes towards older adults among physiotherapy students in Chile: A cross-sectional study.","authors":"Gonzalo Bravo-Rojas, Ignacio Castellucci, Gabriela Yévenes, Crihsna Marín, María Fernanda Arriagada","doi":"10.5867/medwave.2025.07.3094","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Ageism refers to the set of stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination based on age, which negatively affects healthcare for older adults. In Chile, there is limited evidence on this phenomenon among physiotherapy students.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To determine the presence of negative stereotypes towards older adults among physiotherapy students at a private university in the Valparaíso region, and to compare these stereotypes according to the level of knowledge in geriatrics and gerontology.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online survey of physiotherapy students. The Questionnaire of Negative Stereotypes Towards Ageing was administered, and knowledge in geriatrics and gerontology was assessed based on the completion of specific modules. Descriptive analyses, Student's t-test, and multiple linear regression adjusted for age and sex were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 96 students participated in the study. The average score for negative stereotypes towards ageing was 38.8 (SD = 5.8), classified as a low level, although it was close to the threshold for a high level. 42.7% of students presented high levels of negative stereotypes. Students who had passed both modules scored on average 4.3 points lower in negative stereotypes than those who had passed neither (95% CI: -7.4 to -1.3; p = 0.006).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Physiotherapy students exhibit negative stereotypes towards ageing, especially those without specific training in geriatrics and gerontology. Including these modules in professional education could contribute to improving future healthcare and reducing ageism towards older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":18597,"journal":{"name":"Medwave","volume":"25 7","pages":"e3094"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Medwave","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.5867/medwave.2025.07.3094","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Ageism refers to the set of stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination based on age, which negatively affects healthcare for older adults. In Chile, there is limited evidence on this phenomenon among physiotherapy students.
Objective: To determine the presence of negative stereotypes towards older adults among physiotherapy students at a private university in the Valparaíso region, and to compare these stereotypes according to the level of knowledge in geriatrics and gerontology.
Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online survey of physiotherapy students. The Questionnaire of Negative Stereotypes Towards Ageing was administered, and knowledge in geriatrics and gerontology was assessed based on the completion of specific modules. Descriptive analyses, Student's t-test, and multiple linear regression adjusted for age and sex were performed.
Results: A total of 96 students participated in the study. The average score for negative stereotypes towards ageing was 38.8 (SD = 5.8), classified as a low level, although it was close to the threshold for a high level. 42.7% of students presented high levels of negative stereotypes. Students who had passed both modules scored on average 4.3 points lower in negative stereotypes than those who had passed neither (95% CI: -7.4 to -1.3; p = 0.006).
Conclusions: Physiotherapy students exhibit negative stereotypes towards ageing, especially those without specific training in geriatrics and gerontology. Including these modules in professional education could contribute to improving future healthcare and reducing ageism towards older adults.
期刊介绍：
Medwave is a peer-reviewed, biomedical and public health journal. Since its foundation in 2001 (Volume 1) it has always been an online only, open access publication that does not charge subscription or reader fees. Since January 2011 (Volume 11, Number 1), all articles are peer-reviewed. Without losing sight of the importance of evidence-based approach and methodological soundness, the journal accepts for publication articles that focus on providing updates for clinical practice, review and analysis articles on topics such as ethics, public health and health policy; clinical, social and economic health determinants; clinical and health research findings from all of the major disciplines of medicine, medical science and public health. The journal does not publish basic science manuscripts or experiments conducted on animals. Until March 2013, Medwave was publishing 11-12 numbers a year. Each issue would be posted on the homepage on day 1 of each month, except for Chile’s summer holiday when the issue would cover two months. Starting from April 2013, Medwave adopted the continuous mode of publication, which means that the copyedited accepted articles are posted on the journal’s homepage as they are ready. They are then collated in the respective issue and included in the Past Issues section.
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