Aging population is a globally phenomenon. Population of older adults will be constantly increased worldwide; around 1 in 6 in the world will be older adult. Older adult may fail to live independently due to the deterioration of physical functions which require higher demand in the health care support and health care workforce. Nurses as the largest healthcare practitioners who provides care directly most of the time in nursing homes or hospitals to the older adults. Knowledge regarding the aging process and attitude of the nurses play a significant role in influencing the quality of care to the older adults. This study aims to investigate the relationship between knowledge level and attitude towards older adults among Hong Kong nurses. A cross sectional study was conducted among nurses in Hong Kong. Convenience sampling was used, total 116 valid questionnaire were collected. Facts on aging quiz (FAQ1) was used to measure the knowledge regarding the ageing process, Kogan’s Attitude (KAOP) toward Older People Scale was used to investigate the attitude of nurses towards older adults. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic information. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was utilized to examine the correlation between knowledge and attitudes among nurses in Hong Kong. From the Pearson correlation test, KAOP total score is significant moderate positive association with FAQ1 total score (r=0.592, p<0.001). The findings of this study provide evidence that nurses’ level of knowledge regarding the aging process is positively associated with their attitude towards older adult in Hong Kong. Enhancing aging related knowledge plays a vital role in improving the attitude of nurses towards older adults.

Authors:
Elaine Chow, Tung Wah College, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Elaine Chow is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Tung Wah College in Hong Kong

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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