1
|
Kolushev I, Punchik B, Digmi D, Haiman K, Ritsner M, Moller O, Hadad S, Samson T, Freud T, Press Y. Ageism, Aging Anxiety, and Death and Dying Anxiety Among Doctors and Nurses. Rejuvenation Res 2021; 24:366-374. [PMID: 33906418 DOI: 10.1089/rej.2020.2385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageism is an important phenomenon that affects individuals and how society relates to older adults. It is important to evaluate ageism in the medical staff because of its potential effect on treatment for older adults. A cross-sectional study to assess the negative attitudes of doctors and nurses toward older adults was conducted using the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA), a method for evaluating attitudes toward ageism in medical teams. Additional variables associated with ageism such as aging anxiety, and death and dying anxiety were also assessed. The study population included doctors and nurses working in a large university hospital or in community clinics in southern Israel. In all, 431 questionnaires were collected, 203 from the hospital (47.5%) and 224 from the community (52.5%). Of these, 216 (50.1%) were from doctors and 215 (49.9%) from nurses. The mean ageism score in the FSA was 2.8. In a linear regression model, doctors were less ageist than nurses; ageism was directly associated with aging anxiety, and dying anxiety, and was inversely associated with death anxiety. Among doctors, prominent ageist attitudes were directly associated with aging and dying anxiety, inversely associated with graduation from medical school in Israel, and death anxiety. Among nurses, prominent ageism attitudes were directly associated with dying anxiety and inversely associated with work in the hospital. Ageist attitudes were found among doctors and nurses in both the hospital and community clinics. The results emphasize the need to raise awareness of ageism in medical teams and to include this subject in professional training programs designed to reduce its prevalence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Kolushev
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Health Systems Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Boris Punchik
- Home Care Unit, Clalit Health Services, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Unit for Community Geriatrics, Division of Community Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Dror Digmi
- Department of Health Systems Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Kristina Haiman
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Clalit Health Services, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Maria Ritsner
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Clalit Health Services, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ofek Moller
- Department of Health Systems Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Sarai Hadad
- Department of Health Systems Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Tali Samson
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Health Systems Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Unit for Community Geriatrics, Division of Community Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Tamar Freud
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Yan Press
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Unit for Community Geriatrics, Division of Community Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Geriatrics, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Aging, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| |
Collapse
|