Online Education Intervention to Reduce Ageism Among Undergraduate Students

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

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Ageism
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Online educational intervention to reduce ageism; Behavioral: Online educational intervention to enhance cultural competance

Detailed 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.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 64
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Mississippi
    • Oxford, Mississippi, United States, 38677
      • University of Mississippi

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

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

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention group (INT); An online learning module targeted to reduce ageism will be delivered to the INT group.	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.
Active Comparator: Control group (CON); An online learning module on diversity and cultural competence will be delivered to the CON group.	Behavioral: 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.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
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
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
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
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
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
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 Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Difference between groups for pre-post intervention changes in age-related implicit bias	From Pre- to immediate post- intervention
Difference between groups for pre and 2-week post intervention changes in age-related implicit bias	From Pre- to 2-weeks post-intervention
Difference between groups for pre-post intervention changes in the value (years) used to define "old age"	From Pre- to immediate post- intervention
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

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Mississippi, Oxford
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Nadeeja Wijayatunga, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 28, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 11, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): November 11, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 25, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 25, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): September 30, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 6, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 3, 2021
• Last Verified: November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Older adults; Educational intervention; Ageism
• Other Study ID Numbers: 21x-046

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Yes
• IPD Plan Description: We will share the de-identified data on ICPSR database
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Within 6 months time after the publication of the primary and secondary analysis planned.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Public access database

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No