Medical records of older outpatients treated at 15 university teaching hospitals were reviewed to evaluate how their medical problems were managed in university-based internal medicine practices. The finding suggests either that these patients were extremely atypical or that their geriatric problems were unrecognized. (Author/MLW)

The influence of factual knowledge about the aged, general attitudes toward the aged, and personal contact with the aged on first-year medical students' attitudes toward geriatric patients and geriatric medicine was examined. Entering medical students indicated a preference for working with younger patients rather than aged patients. (Author/MLW)

Despite evidence of increased interest among medical students in entering family practice, concern for the needs of the chronically ill and aged still seems to be largely absent in medical schools and students have negative attitudes toward them. Restructuring of medical education is necessary to promote more concern. (LBH)

A study describing demographic, residential, health, and utilization characteristics of patients over 70 years of age followed in a hospital-based teaching group practice is presented. It is concluded that physicians' training should include management--for an extended period of time--a cohort of elderly, independent, ambulatory patients.…

A 24-month study of 96 patients in a community-based oral health promotion project found the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), a self-report measure of oral health, to be sensitive to provision of dental care. Some further development of measures is needed. Potential applications of this and similar self-report measures in dental…