A COMPARISON OF CONTINUING EDUCATION HEALTH NEEDS PERCEPTIONS OF OLDER ADULTS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
Contributors: University of Wisconsin--Madison.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 226
Subjects: Gerontology.; Education, Adult and Continuing.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study was designed to explore and describe whether differences exist among nurses' and older adults' perceptions of older adults continuing health education needs. The study also sought to identify differences in perceptions of older adults continuing health education needs between older adults with varied demographic characteristics, between nurses with varied professional level of expertise, and among nurses' (who work with older adults 6 to 8 hours a day or less time) perception with those of older adults.

The conveniently selected group of 203 nurses represented those who worked with older adults in health care agencies in the Madison area identified as offering services to older adults. The systematically selected group of 168 older adults represented those who are sixty-five or over and are listed as retired in the Madison City Directory.

Two questionnaires were developed by the investigator. Nurses received theirs handed personally by someone in the health care institution where they work; whereas older adults received theirs by mail. Resources of the Wisconsin Survey Research Laboratory and the Department of Testing and Measurement at the University of Wisconsin-Madison were used as consultants in survey mailing and data analysis.

Findings indicated significant differences between the perceptions of the two groups. Differences were also found among topics which both groups added as other topics of interest, as well as in topics selected as the five most important. No differences were found between groups' characteristics and their perceptions within the separate groups. The study indicated differences in perceptions among older adults and nurses (who work 6 to 8 hours a day or less time with older adults). When selecting the five most important topics, the primary area of concern by older adults was learning about the topics: Health Insurance, Medicaid and Medicare, and Physical Maintenance. Nurses concern was for older adults to learn more about the topics: Coping and Managing Chronic Illness and Disease, Community Resources and Depression and Loneliness.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-12, Section: A, page: 4060.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON, 1989.

School code: 0262.