Perceived geriatric communication competence and ageism attitudes among healthcare professionals: Implications for gerontological education

Ageism in healthcare is frequently analyzed as a demographic or individual phenomenon, while its potential communicative and interactional underpinnings remain relatively less understood. This cross-sectional study aims to explore the extent to which perceived geriatric communication competence is associated with attitudes toward older adults among healthcare professionals after accounting for sociodemographic and professional factors, utilizing data gathered from 442 healthcare professionals through hierarchical regression analysis. While participants generally reported favorable attitudes toward older adults, results indicate that perceived communication competence and living in a nuclear family were significant correlates of positive attitudes toward older adults, whereas other variables did not independently contribute to the final model. These findings suggest that attitudes toward older adults in clinical settings are linked toperceived communication competence and workplace dynamics rather than solely demographic characteristics. Consequently, educational gerontologists and healthcare educators can utilize these findings to design communication-centered continuing education programs, foster age-inclusive clinical environments, and integrate geriatric communication modules into healthcare curricula to improve health equity for older adults.