Adapting Health Professional Education To The Needs Of An Aging Population: Challenges And Strategies

Introduction: It is a major global challenge for the aging population and healthcare systems have to respond to the needs of older adults. Nevertheless, geriatric care has not been sufficiently incorporated into the curricula of health professional education (HPE). In The study, we examine the degree of geriatric education in health professional programs and the effect of such education on students’ confidence in managing chronic conditions in older adults. Objective: The purpose of The study was to examine the integration of geriatric care into health professional curricula, identify barriers to effective integration, and assess the impact of geriatric training on student confidence in managing ageing-related health issues. Methods: A mixed methods approach was used, including a survey of students and educators from medical, nursing, and allied health programs. The integration of geriatrics across programs was assessed using statistical analyses, including Chi-square tests and t-tests, and the confidence levels of students with versus without geriatric training were compared. Results: The study also found that medical programs reported higher levels of integration of geriatrics into curricula than nursing and allied health programs. Students with geriatric training were significantly more confident in managing chronic conditions in older adults (p < 0.05). Chi-square analysis showed significant differences between degree programs in the level of geriatric integration (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of The study suggest that health professional education needs systemic change, from curriculum reform to greater faculty development and enhanced clinical exposure to geriatrics. Filling these gaps will help healthcare professionals be better prepared to deal with an ageing population.