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Dental Hygienists' and Dental Hygiene Students' Attitudes Toward the Elderly
Author(s) -
Mann Jonathan,
CrossPoline Gail,
Holtzman Joseph M.,
Kaplan Ruth
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
gerodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1741-2358
pISSN - 0734-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-2358.1988.tb00309.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dental hygiene , hygiene , oral hygiene , family medicine , dentistry , gerontology , pathology
Dental hygiene students' and graduates' attitudes toward the elderly were evaluated in two different countries representing two different cultures. Five dental hygiene programs in the U.S. and the only dental hygiene program in Israel were selected to participate in addition to graduates from both Colorado‐U.S. and Jerusalem‐Israel. A total of 180 dental hygiene students of which 44 were Israelis, 70 U.S. graduates, and 52 Israeli graduates, participated. Both American graduates and American dental hygiene students were found, based on the usage of the Rosencranz‐McNevin measure, to have significantly more positive attitudes toward the elderly as compared to the Israelis. Israeli and American dental hygiene students had a mean score of 120.92 and 105.96 respectively, Israeli graduates scored 122.39 and American graduates had a mean score of 105.09. The differences in culture, geriatric education in schools, and response to the survey according to what is most socially acceptable in the U.S. were the main reasons for these differences. Yet, it is hypothesized that these gaps in attitudes would decrease with the years, following the slow but stable “Americanization” of the Israeli society.