Table 3 Results of the qualitative analysis of students’ free text answers
“Please briefly specify your main insights from the online aging simulation course: ____”* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major Categories | Subcategories | Example quotes | Number of students N | Percentage of students % |
Information on professional interaction with geriatric patients, including background knowledge on specific issues Total of single statements assigned to this major category: 341 | Patients’ everyday life, living environment, and family | “Older people have important impairments in everyday life.” (30 years, male) “Taking older peoples’ problems more serious, because even simple situations in everyday life can cause difficulties.” (24 years, female) | 71 | 30.3 |
General statements on how to deal with older people (professionally) | “In general, and more specifically as a doctor, you should have sympathy!” (23 years, female) “Patience and understanding are important in the interaction with older people.” (33 years, male) “As a ‘young and healthy person’, one should have patience and sympathy with older people […].” (25 years, female) | 67 | 28.6 | |
General difficulties associated with the process of aging | “More impairments in old age than expected, it is not only pain or loss of power but many things together.” (30 years, female) “Until now, I underestimated disabilities occurring with old age […].” (25 years, female) | 55 | 23.5 | |
(Provision of) medical aids | “Many medical aids on the market, as a doctor you have to deal with the assortment to be able to help.” (23 years, female) | 55 | 23.5 | |
Doctor-patient communication | “Taking time is a very important aspect for the communication with older patients.” (24 years, female) | 44 | 18.8 | |
Drug prescription and intake | “What can cause difficulties in taking drugs and how one can react to that as a doctor.” (24 years, female) | 34 | 14.5 | |
Geriatrics as a medical specialty - importance and appreciation | “Geriatrics is a very important point in medicine and therefore in our education.” (24 years, male) | 8 | 3.4 | |
(Importance of) prevention | “Preserving the senses and physical resilience of the old is firstly an enormous gain in quality of life and secondly a relief for the health care system.” (24 years, male) | 4 | 1.7 | |
Psychological impairments in older people | “Physical and mental decay reinforce each other.” (30 years, male) | 3 | 1.3 | |
Specific knowledge about geriatric conditions and diseases (symptoms, therapies, coping strategies) Total of single statements assigned to this major category: 89 | Hearing impairment/hearing loss | “I never realized how difficult hearing is for patients when ambient noise is high.” (30 years, female) “Hearing loss is stressful.” (24 years, male) | 37 | 15.8 |
Visual impairment | “Visual impairment in cataract significantly more limiting than thought.” (25 years, female) | 19 | 8.1 | |
Movement disorders: tremor | “A tremor can strongly affect the activities of daily life, in this practical course very helpful and innovative aids were introduced (e.g., special tremor eating spoon).” (24 years, female) | 14 | 6.0 | |
General sensory impairments | “Decreased sensory perceptions make contact with the outside world difficult and cause confusion.” (24 years, female) | 9 | 3.8 | |
Movement disorders: others, combined, or non-specific | “Akinesia, rigor, and joint restrictions can badly limit the patient’s mobility, a doctor should prescribe adequate medical aids (e.g., wheeled walkers).” (24 years, female) | 8 | 3.4 | |
Movement disorders: walking disabilities | “Difficulty of moving around […]” (25 years, male) | 2 | 0.9 | |
Statements on the methods used: experience of role reversal | (No subcategories) | “The videos made it a lot easier for me to imagine an older person’s life with cataract.” (23 years, female) “Change of perspective can be useful.” (23 years, male) “Role reversal is worthwhile to raise awareness for the situation of older patients and associated problems […].” (23 years, female) | 41 | 17.5 |
Others Total of single statements assigned to this major category: 23 | Statements on own aging process and physical power | “One does not appreciate healthiness as long as one is healthy.” (24 years, female) “[…] We will all be old one day and life should be as easy as possible for everyone.” (23 years, female) “One does not think about problems in old age, takes everything for granted.” (23 years, female). | 20 | 8.5 |
Pleasant aspects of aging | „You do not need to be afraid of old age, there are many ways to cope well in everyday life […]” (23 year, female) | 1 | 0.4 | |
Not assignable to any category | “General practice is my thing” (23 years, female) | 2 | 0.9 | |
Statements about (enhanced) empathy and understanding toward older people | (No subcategories) | “Main insights are among all a more precise understanding and more empathy for problems in older people’s everyday life.” (24 years, male) “Enhanced empathy for older people with impairments related to old age.” (age not indicated, female) | 20 | 8.5 |
Statements on changed attitudes toward older people | (No subcategories) | “It is worthwhile investing time in the treatment of older people.” (28 years, female) “Respect for old age and people who actively maintain a social life despite their impairments.” (28 years, female) | 2 | 0.9 |