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Physician Confidence and Interest in Learning More About Common Geriatric Topics: A Needs Assessment
Author(s) -
Robinson Bruce E.,
Barry Patricia P.,
Renick Nancy,
Bergen Merlynn R.,
Stratos Georgette A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.49188.x
Subject(s) - medicine , geriatrics , likert scale , family medicine , dementia , gerontology , urinary incontinence , scale (ratio) , primary care , medline , psychiatry , psychology , developmental psychology , physics , disease , quantum mechanics , political science , law , urology
OBJECTIVE: To assess physicians' confidence in and interest in learning more about 18 specific geriatric topics. DESIGN: Written survey. SETTING: Annual meetings of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred and fifty‐eight physicians (547 ACP members, 211 AAFP members). MEASUREMENTS: For each topic, participants rated their confidence in performance, their peers' need for education, and their interest in learning more, using a five‐point Likert scale. RESULTS: Survey participants were on average 16 years out of medical school and 61% were in a community primary care practice that included many geriatric patients on a primarily fee‐for‐service basis. High levels of interest in learning more about dementia, functional assessment, urinary incontinence, and sensory impairment were found. A substantial correlation ( r = .44, P < .0001) between the proportion of seniors reported in the physicians' practice and confidence in performance in the areas surveyed was identified. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide useful information on the physician‐learner's perception of needs, which is important in the design of effective continuing education efforts in geriatrics.