Priorities of Turkish medical students regarding working with elderly individuals experiencing dementia

Öz

Aim: As population ages, there will be a significant shift in the need for healthcare professionals who are trained in dementia care. Medical students are one of the primary backbones of healthcare system in developing countries, especially in Türkiye. Therefore, understanding the preferences of Turkish medical students regarding working with elderly patients, who are coping with dementia, can tackle this issue by application of appropriate educational strategies and healthcare policies. Materials and methods: This study applied a review approach to synthesize existing literature on the priorities of medical students towards dementia care. Articles were sourced from electronic databases such as PubMed, Wiley Online Library. Inclusion criteria were applied to select articles for analysis, with a particular emphasis on extracting data related to medical students' attitudes, perceptions, preferences, and factors affecting them regarding dementia care. Results: Nine hundred eighty-six studies (27 full texts) across electronic database were screened and 8 were selected on February 2024. The amount of exposure to geriatric care, career, and work characteristics affected students’ choices the most. Numerous studies evaluated the effect of interventions for dementia care promotion. Female students were more willing to work with elderly patients coping with dementia compared to their male counterparts. Conclusion: Turkish medical students feel both interested and apprehension regarding working with elderly individuals experiencing dementia. In order to address the probable issues which may stem from the healthcare needs of the aging population in Türkiye, it is vital that experts integrate and insert proper geriatric training, especially dementia care into medical curricula.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Turkish Medical students
• Dementia
• Career preferences
• Elder care

Kaynakça

1. Referans1 Nations U. World population prospects 2019. Vol (ST/ESA/SE A/424) Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Population Division.
2. Referans2 Gale SA, Acar D, Daffner KR. Dementia. Am J Med. Oct 2018;131(10):1161-1169. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.01.022
3. Referans3 Cao Q, Tan CC, Xu W, et al. The Prevalence of Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis. J Alzheimers Dis. 2020;73(3):1157-1166. doi:10.3233/jad-191092
4. Referans4 Yüksel Uy. Ageing Population, Social Services And Assistance In Turkey. Dergipark. 2007
5. Referans5 Gurvit H, Emre M, Tinaz S, et al. The prevalence of dementia in an urban Turkish population. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. Feb-Mar 2008;23(1):67-76. doi:10.1177/1533317507310570
6. Referans6 Hebditch M, Daley S, Wright J, Sherlock G, Scott J, Banerjee S. Preferences of nursing and medical students for working with older adults and people with dementia: a systematic review. BMC Med Educ. Mar 30 2020;20(1):92. doi:10.1186/s12909-020-02000-
7. Referans7 Hebditch M, Banerjee S, Wright J, Daley S. Preferences of newly qualified healthcare professionals for working with people with dementia: a qualitative study. Age Ageing. Jan 6 2022;51(1)doi:10.1093/ageing/afab206
8. Referans8 Banerjee S, Jones C, Wright J, et al. A comparative study of the effect of the Time for Dementia programme on medical students. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2021;36(7):1011-1019. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5532

9. Referans9 Banerjee S, Farina N, Daley S, et al. How do we enhance undergraduate healthcare education in dementia? A review of the role of innovative approaches and development of the Time for Dementia Programme. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2017;32(1):68-75. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4602
10. Referans10 van de Pol MHJ, Lagro J, Fluit LRMG, Lagro-Janssen TLM, Olde Rikkert MGM. Teaching Geriatrics Using an Innovative, Individual-Centered Educational Game: Students and Educators Win. A Proof-of-Concept Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2014;62(10):1943-1949. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.13024
11. Referans11 Nanda A, Farrell TW, Shield RR, Tomas M, Campbell SE, Wetle T. Medical Students' Recognition and Application of Geriatrics Principles in a New Curriculum. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2013;61(3):434-439. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.12139
12. Referans12 Jefferson AL, Cantwell NG, Byerly LK, Morhardt D. Medical student education program in Alzheimer’s disease: The PAIRS Program. BMC Medical Education. 2012/08/21 2012;12(1):80. doi:10.1186/1472-6920-12-80
13. Referans13 Eskildsen MA, Flacker J. A Multimodal Aging and Dying Course for First-Year Medical Students Improves Knowledge and Attitudes. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2009;57(8):1492-1497. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02363.x
14. Referans14 Lane CA, Hardy J, Schott JM. Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Neurol. Jan 2018;25(1):59-70. doi:10.1111/ene.13439