JUNIOR HIGH HEALTH TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES ABOUT AGING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AGING EDUCATION

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of aging education in North Carolina junior high schools, to assess junior high school health teachers’ knowledge and attitudes about aging and the elderly, and to investigate the relationship between teachers’ knowledge and attitudes about aging and their implementation of aging education. Junior high school health teachers (N – 304) were chosen to represent the educational regions of North Carolina. The instruments used were Kogan's Attitudes Toward Old People Scale, Facts on Aging Quiz Part I, and a questionnaire comprised of demographic items and items designed to assess the implementation of aging education. Results indicated that a majority of these junior high school health education teachers do not teach aging education and have little background and training in aging education or gerontology. The greatest perceived barrier to teaching about aging was lack of student interest. The most useful assistance for lesson‐plan preparation indicated was...