Medical student attitudes towards older people: a critical review of quantitative measures

ObjectivesThe Australian Ageing Semantic Differential (AASD) survey was developed to quantify medical student attitudes towards older people. The purpose of this study is to examine psychometric properties of the survey and confirm its factor structure of four composites.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingThree medical schools in three Australian states: Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.ParticipantsThird-year or fourth-year medical students (n=188, response rate=79%).Outcome measuresIn the previous AASD study, exploratory factor analysis supported a four-factor model consisting of ‘Instrumentality’ (I), ‘Personal Appeal’ (PA), ‘Experience’ (E) and ‘Sociability’ (S). Congeneric one-factor confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to examine model fit for factors using a new student sample (n=188).Psychometric properties of survey items and factors.Post-hoc analysis of pooled data from this study and earlier AASD study (n=509).ResultsIndices of fit (Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), standardised root mean square residual (SRMR)) for data to the factor model were: PA adequate fit (CFI=0.94, TLI=0.89, RMSEA=0.11 and SRMR=0.05), I good fit (CFI=0.99, TLI=0.99, RMSEA=0.04 and SRMR=0.03), S good fit (CFI=0.98, TLI=0.95, RMSEA=0.06 and SRMR=0.03) and E excellent fit (CFI=1.0, TLI=1.0, RMSEA=0.00 and SRMR=0.01).The AASD was internally consistent (Cronbach’s alpha=0.84), without difference in mean student scores by institution. Mean AASD score was positive for medical students outside New South Wales (73.2/114).Mean I score for all Australian students was negative, with female respondents’ mean E score significantly higher than their counterparts. A positive correlation between student age and I score was noted.ConclusionsThe AASD is internally consistent and generalisable within Australia, with acceptable structural validity for measuring medical student attitudes towards older people within a four-factor model. Student attitudes were positive globally and within all factors except I. Female students rated older persons E more positively. Older students recorded more positive attitudes towards I of older people.

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Medical student attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical education: a critical review

Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine ◽

10.1515/jcim-2014-0053 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Paul Joyce ◽

Jon Wardle ◽

Chris Zaslawski

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Medical Students ◽

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽

Critical Review ◽

Student Attitudes ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Care Providers ◽

Medical Student Attitudes ◽

Complementary And Alternative

AbstractBackgroundThis paper aims to remedy a gap in the knowledge by presenting the first critical review of the literature on major themes relating to medical students perceptions and attitudes towards the exponentially growing field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).MethodsAfter a comprehensive database search of the literature, 21 papers were chosen as suitable for the review. The results from these papers were tabled and discussed.ResultsThe results indicated that medical students lacked knowledge of CAM and are generally positive towards CAM education (especially in the preclinical years, if it provided evidence of efficacy and post-placement). Medical students thought that CAM should generally be incorporated into the medical curriculum mainly so they can confidently undertake referral to CAM practitioners. Being able to communicate with future patients about their CAM use was a major motivation for medical students to learn about CAM and a factor for medical student support of further incorporation of CAM content in the medical curricula. Educational exposure to CAM in many forms and in many papers was shown to significantly affect medical student attitudes to CAM. This may be reflective of the fact that, outside direct CAM training, there may be limited accessible opportunities for medical students and if integration is to occur, educational exposure is most important.ConclusionsThe rise of CAM as a social and clinical phenomenon necessitates consideration of further inclusion of these topics in the medical curriculum, if future physicians are to be able to fully discharge their role as care providers in an increasingly medically pluralistic world. However, the inclusion of CAM needs to be done in an objective and critical manner, which is relevant to the learner.

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