Perception of Ageing and Views on Old Age: A Qualitative Study on Health Management Students / Yaşlılık Algısı ve Yaşlılığa İlişkin Görüşler: Sağlık Yönetimi Öğrencileri Üzerine Nitel Bir İnceleme

Creative Commons License

Kaya A., Ercan Önbıçak A., Dalmaz M.

İmgelem (Online), vol.20, no.0, pp.374-402, 2026 (TRDizin)

Abstract

Population ageing has increased the importance of both the quality of health services provided for older adults and the perspectives of future health professionals who will be responsible for planning these services. This study aimed to explore health management students’ perceptions of ageing and their views on old age through a qualitative research approach. The study was conducted with 56 undergraduate students selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher and analysed using qualitative content analysis with MAXQDA software. A total of 502 codes were generated and organised into four main themes: expectations for old age, perceived problems related to old age, attitudes towards ageing, and metaphors of old age. Participants described ageing not only as a biological process but also as a period associated with maintaining independence, active living, psychological well-being, social participation, and quality of life. At the same time, health problems, dependency, loneliness, and social isolation emerged as the main concerns associated with ageing. The metaphors used by the participants reflected both positive meanings, such as wisdom and life experience, and negative meanings, including frailty and functional decline. Overall, the findings indicate that health management students approach ageing from a broader biopsychosocial perspective rather than a purely biomedical one. The findings also highlight the need to strengthen educational content related to older adults’ rights, ageism, healthy and active ageing, and age-friendly health services within health management curricula.