Biomaterial Database

Attitudes toward the geriatric patient among family practice residents. 1980

A J Maxwell, and N Sullivan

For the Family Practitioner, elderly patients are a highly significant group. In the past, some health professionals have expressed negative attitudes toward the elderly. Thus a need exists to study specific factors that may influence a Family Practice resident's willingness to treat older patients. A Likert-type questionnaire was developed that utilized the Thurstone-Likert discrimination technique. Five categories were chosen for study: general attitudes, cost effectiveness, time and energy, therapeutic potential, and educational preparation. Responses of 150 Family Practice residents were then analyzed. The attitudes of the residents were significantly positive in all categories except Educational Preparation. Noteworthy was the finding that the attitudes improved from the first year through the third year of residency. This is the first medical specialty group to demonstrate such a trend. Certain negative attitudes observed in the Educational Preparation category re-emphasize the need for training programs to improve professional geriatric instruction.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007396	Internship and Residency	Programs of EDUCATION, MEDICAL, GRADUATE training to meet the requirements established by accrediting authorities.	House Staff,Internship, Dental,Residency, Dental,Residency, Medical,Dental Internship,Dental Internships,Dental Residencies,Dental Residency,Internship,Internship, Medical,Internships, Dental,Medical Residencies,Medical Residency,Residencies, Dental,Residencies, Medical,Residency,Residency and Internship,Internships, Medical,Medical Internship,Medical Internships,Residencies,Staff, House
D010817	Physician-Patient Relations	The interactions between physician and patient.	Doctor-Patient Relations,Doctor Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relationship,Doctor Patient Relation,Doctor-Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relationships,Physician-Patient Relation,Relation, Doctor Patient,Relation, Doctor-Patient,Relation, Physician Patient,Relation, Physician-Patient,Relations, Doctor Patient,Relations, Doctor-Patient,Relations, Physician Patient,Relations, Physician-Patient,Relationship, Physician Patient,Relationships, Physician Patient
D011581	Psychological Tests	Standardized tests designed to measure abilities (as in intelligence, aptitude, and achievement tests) or to evaluate personality traits.	Parenting Stress Index,Trier Social Stress Test,Trier Stress Test,Psychologic Tests,Psychological Test,Test, Psychological,Tests, Psychological,Index, Parenting Stress,Psychologic Test,Stress Index, Parenting,Stress Test, Trier,Test, Psychologic,Test, Trier Stress,Trier Stress Tests
D004504	Education, Medical, Undergraduate	The period of medical education in a medical school. In the United States it follows the baccalaureate degree and precedes the granting of the M.D.	Medical Education, Undergraduate,Education, Undergraduate Medical,Undergraduate Medical Education
D005194	Family Practice	A medical specialty concerned with the provision of continuing, comprehensive primary health care for the entire family.	Family Practices,Practice, Family,Practices, Family
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D001291	Attitude of Health Personnel	Attitudes of personnel toward their patients, other professionals, toward the medical care system, etc.	Staff Attitude,Attitude, Staff,Attitudes, Staff,Health Personnel Attitude,Health Personnel Attitudes,Staff Attitudes
D013337	Students, Medical	Individuals enrolled in a school of medicine or a formal educational program in medicine.	Medical Student,Medical Students,Student, Medical
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor