title: Undergraduate knowledge of aging: a comparative study of biopsychosocial content.
abstract: This study assesses undergraduate knowledge of aging, distinguishing between types of deficits (ignorance vs. misinformation) and content areas as delineated by a biopsychosocial framework. Knowledge is examined as an outcome of taking an aging elective, while accounting for course rating and knowledge retention. A diverse body of UCLA undergraduate students who took an aging course (n = 349) and a stratified random comparison group (n = 430) took Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz and scored 14 and 12 items correct, respectively. Undergraduates (n = 779) showed a good knowledge of aging in the psychological- cognitive domain, but consistent with previous findings, they exhibited deficits primarily in the social-demographic realm. Taking an aging course was significantly related to better overall knowledge of aging (correct) (p </= .0001), and fewer don't know responses (p </=.0001). Course rating and shorter timing until testing were also significantly related to better knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656, USA. jdamron@ucla.edu
authors.forename: JoAnn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Damron-Rodriguez
authors.forename: Brooke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Funderburk
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Solomon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D001290:Attitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities