Online Education Intervention to Reduce Ageism Among Undergraduate Students

Ageism Clinical Trial

Official title:

Effectiveness of an Online Educational Intervention to Reduce Ageism in Undergraduate Students in an Entry-level Nutrition Class

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04570917
• Other study ID #: 21x-046
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 28, 2020
• Est. completion date: November 11, 2020

Study information

• Verified date: November 2020
• Source: University of Mississippi, Oxford
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Ageism is common is healthcare workers, and that results in negative outcomes for elderly patients. This randomized controlled trial is to determine if age bias could be changed by an online learning activity in undergraduate students in an entry-level nutrition class.

Description:

This randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms is to determine the effect of an online educational intervention developed to reduce ageism in undergraduate students enrolled in an entry-level Nutrition class. Eligible study participants will be randomized into either the "Intervention group" (INT) or the "Control group" (CON). The two groups will have different learning material delivered online via Blackboard (Learning Management System/LMS). These include a collection of short videos developed by the researchers, as well as relevant videos available on the web. Participants in the INT group will learn about aging and ageism, while the CON group will learn about diversity and cultural competence. Sociodemographic data, percieved risk of COVID-19, preventative behaviors related ot COVID-19 will be collected using a questionnaire at baseline. Ageism will be assessed using standard questionnaires. Data collection will be done at three time points: Pre-intervention, immediate post intervention and 2-weeks post-intervention. Difference between groups for pre-post intervention changes will be assessed.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 64
• Est. completion date: November 11, 2020
• Est. primary completion date: November 11, 2020
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older

• Enrolled in 3 sections of the introductory level nutrition course taught by three different instructors.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Ageism

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Online educational intervention to reduce ageism
Participants in this group will go over multiple short videos covering the following content:1). Myths about aging, 2). Ageism and its negative effects, 3). Distorted views about aging among young adults, 4). Ageism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 5). importance of reducing ageism among healthcare professionals. These will be multiple videos posted on the LMS (Blackboard). At the end of the lesson, they will be asked to briefly write what they learned on Blackboard as an assignment.
• Online educational intervention to enhance cultural competance
Participants in the control group will go over multiple short videos covering the following content: 1). Myths about cultural competence, 2) Cultural competence for health care professionals including dietitians, 3). Connecting culture and food, and 4). Importance of cultural competence in sports dietitians. At the end of the lesson, they will be asked to briefly write what they learned. These will be multiple videos posted on the LMS (Blackboard). At the end of the lesson, they will be asked to briefly write what they learned on Blackboard as an assignment.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Mississippi	Oxford	Mississippi

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Mississippi, Oxford

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Difference between groups for pre-and post intervention changes in the score of Fraboni's Scale for Ageism	Higher Fraboni's score indicates more bias.	From Pre- to immediate post- intervention
Primary	Difference between groups for pre- and 2-weeks post intervention changes in the score of Fraboni's Scale for Ageism	Higher Fraboni's score indicates more bias.	From Pre- to 2-weeks post-intervention
Primary	Difference between groups for pre-post intervention changes in benevolent subscores of the Ambivalent ageism scale	Higher benevolent score indicates more benevolent ageism	From Pre- to immediate post- intervention
Primary	Difference between groups for pre and 2-weeks post intervention changes in benevolent subscores of the Ambivalent ageism scale Higher score indicates more benevolent bias.	Higher benevolent score indicates more benevolent ageism	From Pre- to 2-weeks post-intervention
Primary	Difference between groups for pre-post intervention changes in hostile subscores of the Ambivalent ageism scale	Higher hostile score indicates more hostile ageism	From Pre- to immediate post- intervention
Primary	Difference between groups for pre and 2-week post intervention changes in hostile subscores of the Ambivalent ageism scale	Higher hostile score indicates more hostile ageism	From Pre- to 2-weeks post-intervention
Secondary	Difference between groups for pre-post intervention changes in age-related implicit bias		From Pre- to immediate post- intervention
Secondary	Difference between groups for pre and 2-week post intervention changes in age-related implicit bias		From Pre- to 2-weeks post-intervention
Secondary	Difference between groups for pre-post intervention changes in the value (years) used to define "old age"		From Pre- to immediate post- intervention
Secondary	Difference between groups for pre and 2-weeks post intervention changes in the value (years) used to define "old age"		From Pre- to 2-weeks post-intervention