Basic Geriatric Knowledge and Awareness Among Palestinian Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Palestinian physicians correctly answered only 56.5% of geriatric knowledge questions on average.
Basic Geriatric Knowledge and Awareness Among Palestinian Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Population aging is increasing demand for competent geriatric care.
This is the first multicenter study in Palestine to assess physician geriatric knowledge using a validated instrument (Revised Facts on Aging Quiz), providing baseline data for curriculum reform in a country with no accredited geriatrics fellowship program.
378 physicians of the Palestinian Ministry of Health completed a self-administered questionnaire covering demographics, professional level, geriatrics education, and knowledge using the validated Revised Facts on Aging Quiz.
Scores differed by professional level (ANOVA p=0.025), with interns highest (20.90±3.93) and general practitioners lowest (18.80±4.20).
Common misconceptions involved older adults' adaptability, work capacity, and depression prevalence.
Overall geriatric knowledge was moderate, but prevalent misconceptions highlight significant educational deficiencies.
We recommend that Palestinian medical schools integrate a minimum of 20 contact hours of geriatrics content into existing internal medicine and family medicine rotations, including clinical exposure to well-elderly care, geriatric syndromes, and polypharmacy management.