title: A comparison of pharmacy students' and active older adults' perceptions regarding geriatric quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure perceptions of quality of life (QOL) in an active geriatric population and compare their responses with pharmacy students' perceptions of older adult QOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pharmacy students and active older adults completed the modified and standard version of a validated health survey instrument, respectively, and their responses were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six students and 20 active older adults participated. Student perceptions of geriatric QOL were significantly lower in all domains except health change compared to older adult perceptions (p<0.001 for all domains). Interest in a geriatric pharmacy career (p=0.04) and previously having taken the Perspectives in Geriatrics course and laboratory (p=0.05 and 0.02, respectively) were significantly associated with higher student scores on the physical component portion of the survey.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stronger emphasis on geriatric QOL within pharmacy curricula may improve pharmacy students' perceptions regarding outcomes related to healthy older adults.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Adrienne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gilligan
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: James Aaron
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Loui
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Ashorena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mezdo
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Nikita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Jeannie K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: geriatric education; geriatrics; quality of life; student perceptions