Introduction: Knowledge of and perspectives toward aging can impact patient care.
Objective: We investigated disparities in knowledge, attitudes, and anxiety about aging among occupational therapy (OT) graduate students, exploring differences between USA-born (n=846) and Asian-born (n=286) students enrolled in a geriatrics OT course at the University of Southern California, USA, between Fall 2015 and January 2023.
Methods: The Facts on Aging Quiz I (FAQ)—a knowledge assessment of domains of aging and proxy measure of bias toward older adults—and the Anxiety about Aging Scale (including four subscales) were administered at semester initiation.
Results: The combined sample was 86% female, 37% White and 45% Asian, and had a mean age of 25.6±4.1 years. Both groups exhibited suboptimal baseline knowledge about aging, with an average FAQ correct response rate of 53.4%±12.9%. USA-born students showed greater knowledge (p<0.001) and overall anxiety about aging (p<0.001)—particularly concerned about physical appearance with age (p<0.001)—than their Asian-born counterparts. Groups did not differ on the other anxiety subscales (i.e., fear of older people, psychological concerns about aging, fear of loss associated with aging).
Conclusion: Findings underscore the need for targeted education on aging-related topics in OT curriculum, as both groups displayed substantial knowledge gaps. Addressing diverse experiences with and perspectives about aging as a part of geriatrics OT coursework is warranted. Our forthcoming research will explore the impact of geriatrics-focused OT education on students' knowledge and nuanced anxieties about aging, in efforts to prepare future OTs to provide quality OT services for an aging population.