Knowledge and Attitudes about Ageism in Medical and Non-medical University Students in Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Knowledge and attitudes about ageism are fundamental for designing interventions to reduce ageist attitudes and to promote good aging. However, this is especially true when comparing students from medical and non-medical fields. The study aimed to assess Saudi university students’ knowledge and attitudes concerning ageism. More specifically, it examined students’ attitudes towards ageism relative to their academic year, in addition to their knowledge of ageism at different academic levels. Materials and Methods: The study involved a total of 734 students from different universities in KSA. Knowledge regarding ageism was measured using Facts on Ageing Quiz I (FAQ I), and attitudes were measured using Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA). Analysis of data was performed through SPSS-23. Results: The majority of participants (87.9%) were found to have moderate knowledge levels of ageism while 88.6% also demonstrated positive attitudes toward older adults. A significant relationship was found between knowledge (FAQ-I scores) and attitudes (FAS scores) ( P ≤ 0.05). However, no associations of importance were found between knowledge or attitudes and academic background (medical vs. non-medical) or year of study ( P > 0.05). Conclusion: Knowledge about ageism was found to be significantly associated with attitudes to older adults, but no significant associations were demonstrated between these variables and academic background or distribution on years of study.