Comparison of Knowledge and Attitude of Health Care Providers towards Aging Phenomenon in Yazd and Hamadan, Iran

Health care providers play a central role as the main members of the health care service providers team for the elderly and their knowledge and attitudes towards the aging phenomenon can play an important role in the quality of health care services provision for the elderly. Therefore, the present study aims to comparatively investigate knowledge and attitude of health care providers about the aging phenomenon in comprehensive health centers of Yazd and Hamadan, Iran.

The cross-sectional study conducted on 220 health care providers who were enrolled in the study from comprehensive health centers in Yazd and Hamadan by cluster sampling. The data were collected by a questionnaire including demographic information, Kogan's attitude towards old people scale, and Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz .Data were analyzed by SPSS using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient.

Mean score of knowledge about aging (range: 0-25) was 12.24 ± 2.43 in Yazd and 12.17 ± 2.51 in Hamadan. Mean score of attitude towards aging (range: 34-204) was 121.49 ± 10.53 in Yazd and 119.40 ± 11.21 in Hamadan. There was no statistically significant difference in knowledge (p = 0.828) and its three dimensions (misconceptions about aging, psychosocial status and physical condition), and attitude (p = 0.152) and its three levels (negative, neutral and positive attitude) between health care providers in Yazd and Hamadan. There was a significant, positive correlation between knowledge and attitude in both Yazd (p < 0.01, r = 0.656) and Hamadan (p < 0.01, r = 0.718).

The knowledge of health care providers in both cities was moderate and had positive attitude towards aging. Considering the moderate knowledge of health care providers about the aging, effective steps can be taken to promote knowledge and improve the attitudes of health care providers by providing educational curricula on physical, psychological, social and spiritual health of the elderly people and holding in-service training programs.