Atitudes e conhecimento dos estudantes de medicina da Universidade Federal do Ceará sobre o idoso,o envelhecimento e a carreira de geriatria

Abstract

The Brazilian population is undergoing demographic changes that are resulting in rapidly growing elderly population. This reality brings with it the increasing need for specialist training in geriatrics. This health professional should be able to understand the aging process and characteristics of the elderly to assist them fully and multidisciplinary. The objective was to evaluate the attitudes and knowledge of students of medical school at the Federal University of Ceara on the elderly, aging and geriatric career. We conducted a study with 221 students of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara in Fortaleza, Sobral and Barbalha who answered a questionnaire about socio-demographic data, choice of specialty, interest in geriatric career, acquire knowledge and skills after the discipline of geriatrics, possible influential factors in choosing a career in geriatrics, attitudes about the elderly and elderly care. Of the students who chose the specialty, the medical clinic (50%) is the most desired by them and only 1 (1.4%) cited previously geriatrics as a future career. In Barbalha students reported greater acquisition of knowledge and skills compared to students from Sobral and Fortaleza. However, for these students, the discipline of geriatrics is associated negatively with interest in pursuing this specialty, as well as the less positive or negative attitudes about the elderly care. In Fortaleza students appreciate the multidisciplinary dimension of elderly care, while those from Sobral disagree more in "The life expectancy of the elderly is so short that the investigations are expensive expendable". For students who have studied the geriatric discipline the following factors had more positive influence on the possible choice of this specialty compared with those who attended: "Examples of physicians in this area / specialty”, “Perspective link academic or research”, “Expected to diagnostic procedures and treatment”, “Intellectual Significance of the area / specialty” and “Discipline Experience / Internship obtained in graduation”. Concluding, the discipline of geriatrics is associated with slightly more positive attitudes toward the elderly and contributes to the development of knowledge and skills among medical students. There was a positive association between the discipline of geriatrics and beliefs regarding the clinical and academic potential of specialty, and the quality of that specialist. Although the discipline not to be associated with more positive attitudes about the elderly care, we noted that the interest of teachers and their experiences during the practical lessons seem to have a positive effect, which may arouse interest in the specialty.