Online Education Intervention to Reduce Ageism Among Undergraduate Students

NCT ID: NCT04570917

Last Updated: 2021-05-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 64 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-09-28
• Study Completion Date: 2020-11-11

Brief 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.

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.

Conditions

Ageism

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Intervention group (INT)

An online learning module targeted to reduce ageism will be delivered to the INT group.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Online educational intervention to reduce ageism

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

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.

Control group (CON)

An online learning module on diversity and cultural competence will be delivered to the CON group.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Online educational intervention to enhance cultural competance

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

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.

Interventions

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.

Intervention Type: 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.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

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

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Mississippi, Oxford

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Nadeeja Wijayatunga

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Nadeeja Wijayatunga, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management

Locations

University of Mississippi

Oxford, Mississippi, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

21x-046

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id