JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action PROmoting GeRiAtric Medicine in countries where it is still eMergING (PROGRAMMING) CA21122 developed an online open survey to assess the educational interests and needs of healthcare professionals and final-year medical students across participating countries. This survey aims to establish a 'current baseline' for developing educational content in Geriatric Medicine for non-Geriatricians, and a framework for its delivery.

Objective:

In the present paper, the aim, development, structure, content, and dissemination of this survey are described.

Methods:

The mixed-methods electronic survey, initially developed in English through a co-creation process with key stakeholders, was subsequently translated into 24 languages. It received ethical approval from multiple participating countries. It included these sections: Informed Consent, Demographics, Topics and Skills, Medical Students vs. Professionals, Current Profession (for professionals), Previous Education in Geriatric Medicine (for professionals), Education in Geriatric Medicine (for medical students), Interest in Care of Older People/Geriatric Medicine, Suggestions for Courses in Care for Older People or Geriatric Medicine, and Closure.

Results:

The survey was disseminated between 09 October 2023 and 05 June 2024 and collected 6,099 responses; after initial cleaning, it had 5,927 responses (5,479 from professionals and 448 from medical students; preliminary data). The survey data will be analysed by conducting within and cross-country analyses, using descriptive and inferential statistics for quantitative data and content analyses for qualitative data. National and international teams will run analyses in parallel exploring responses within a specific country or region, professional category or medical students or setting of work. Basic descriptives and chi-square tests will test for differences in knowledge, relevance and interest in geriatric topics across countries, professions and settings of work, respectively. The effectiveness of formal education in Geriatric Medicine and clinical rotations in geriatric settings versus lack of these in promoting higher self-perceived knowledge in Geriatric Medicine topics will be explored using binary logistic regression. We will provide basic descriptives (frequencies) of reported barriers against receiving further training in Geriatric Medicine and effectiveness of various teaching methods as rated by the respondents and explore differences across countries, professions and settings by chi-square tests. We will perform qualitative content analyses of the free-text responses to the questions exploring professionals’ and medical students’ thoughts on caring for older people and medical students’ thoughts on becoming a geriatrician.

Conclusions:

The findings of the survey will inform educational projects across the PROGRAMMING countries. We will feedback these findings to national and international stakeholders including professional societies, medical schools and other relevant organizations. We will advocate for professional educational curricula to include geriatric topics rated as relevant by the survey respondents and to promote clinical rotations in geriatric settings and teaching methods rated effective by the survey respondents.