Knowledge and Attitude of Healthcare Professionals towards the Care of Elderly Patients in University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Ondo State

As the global population ages, particularly in Africa, there is a growing need to address the complex health issues faced by older adults. However, healthcare professionals in these regions often lack sufficient knowledge and skills in geriatric care, leading to inadequate treatment and care for older adults. The present study assessed the knowledge and attitude of care of the elderly patients amongst selected healthcare professionals in University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Ondo State. A purposive sampling was used in selecting the study participants. A total of 301 respondents were recruited, and all the participants completed the questionnaires and had adequate data for analysis, translating to a response rate of 100%. The study population consisted of selected healthcare professionals in University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Ondo State. Data was collected with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire and analysis done using SPSS version 29.0. In this study, the majority of the respondents (68%) have good knowledge of the care of the elderly, while the minority (32%) have poor knowledge of the care of the elderly. The overall attitude towards elderly care was good among the majority (58%) but poor among the minority (42%). The major factors influencing knowledge and attitudes towards the care of elderly patients include challenging work environment (50.2%), lack of specialized wards dedicated to elderly care (54.8%), and poor administrative practices in managing elderly patients. Although this study shows that the absolute majority of healthcare professionals have good knowledge and attitudes towards elderly care, the existing factors such as challenging work environment, lack of specialized wards dedicated to elderly care, and poor administrative practices in managing elderly patients will continue to render the healthcare professionals handicap in the care of elderly patients if nothing is done by the hospital or the government.