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Biomedical subjects

Thomas A Teasdale

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas A Teasdale.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Efficacy of a geriatric oral health CD as a learning tool.

To better prepare professionals to meet the needs of older patients, a self-instructional computer module on geriatric oral health was previously developed. A follow-up study reported here tested the efficacy of this educational tool for improving student knowledge of geriatric oral care. A convenience sampling procedure was used. Sample size calculation revealed that fifty-six subjects were required to meet clinical and statistical criteria. Paired t-test addressed our hypothesis that use of the educational tool is associated with improvement in knowledge. Fifty-eight first-year dental students and nine third-year medical students completed the pre-intervention test and were given the CD-based educational tool. After seven days, all participants completed the post-intervention test. Knowledge of geriatric oral health improved among the sixty-seven students included in this study (p=0.019). When stratified on the basis of viewing the CD-ROM, the subgroup of thirty-eight students who reported not actually reviewing the CD-ROM had no change in their knowledge scores, while the subgroup of twenty-nine students who reported reviewing the CD had a significant improvement in test scores (p<0.001). Use of a self-instructional e-learning tool in geriatric oral health is effective among those students who choose to employ such tools.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Effect of a mandatory geriatric medicine clerkship on third-year students.

A nationwide push has increased geriatric medicine instruction within medical school curricula. Some institutions have proceeded with an integrated 4-year curriculum while others have constructed discrete courses in the third or fourth year of medical school. This paper describes the impact of a new mandatory 4-week geriatric medicine clerkship on third-year students developed by the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. In the first year of implementation, 135 students took the course on both the Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses. Clinical sites included inpatient, VA extended care unit, outpatient clinics, dementia clinics, home care, long-term care settings, and hospice. Didactic instruction used formal lectures and problem-based learning. The impact of the clerkship on students was assessed in three areas: knowledge, skills, and attitude using a pre- and postknowledge test, student satisfaction survey, and written comments. This article discusses how the clerkship resulted in increased knowledge of geriatric medicine. Student self-report indicates that the clerkship enhanced clinical evaluation and patient assessment skills. Students indicated that the experience was positive and recognized the importance of geriatric medicine in their development as doctors.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Prescribing physical activity for older adults.

Physicians and other healthcare providers must disseminate the message promoting physical activity among all of their patients, especially frail older adults. Some degree of physical activity is always preferable to a sedentary life. The goals of physical activity counseling are to provide concrete information, clear and consistent recommendations, and to recognize barriers that older adults face in initiating and maintaining a program. Tailoring the message based on their patient's health and functional status is paramount and counseling should be ongoing and included at every visit. Focusing on what has been described as "functional fitness," such as walking, transferring (up and down from chair, in and out of car, up and down stairs) in order to more easily complete tasks of daily living, should also be stressed. Medical school curricula will need to address this deficiency of practicing physicians by enhancing this area of training for optimal disease prevention, chronic disease management and health promotion.

Age Factors↗