Abstract

IntroductionResearch in Ibero America on ageism in university students has focused on associating it with sociodemographic variables, with a more dispersed and limited focus on previous experiences with older people.ObjectiveDetermine the association between attitudes toward aging and negative stereotypes about old age with previous experiences with older people of university students of various health-related programs.MethodsObservational, cross-sectional study. The probabilistic sample consisted of university students enrolled in one of 12 health-related programs at a Chilean university, who answered an online survey that included sociodemographic data, previous experiences with older people (Yes/No), Attitudes toward aging (KAOP) and Negative Stereotypes about old age (CENVE).ResultsIn total, 2,104 students participated. The association between previous experiences (changeable and unchangeable) and total scores demonstrated a positive significant association between 6 questions (having done volunteer work, having completed a course not offered by the university, having dealt with content related to older people in their program curriculum, having interest in knowing older people, or having interest in professionally working with older people, as well as having a religious belief, all of changeable nature) and the KAOP score; furthermore, a negative significant association between two questions (one of them of changeable nature: having interest in knowing older people) and the CENVE score.ConclusionsPrevious experiences with older people, related to closeness and interest, particularly the latter whose nature is changeable, represent an opportunity to conduct interventions during the university.