Investigation of the relationship between altruism levels and willingness to work with the elderly of elderly care, disability care and physiotherapy program students

The older population is steadily increasing worldwide and in Türkiye, making it essential to understand the altruism levels and willingness to work with the elderly among associate degree students in health programs to ensure high-quality care for aging individuals. This study aimed to examine the relationship between altruism and willingness to work with the elderly among students enrolled in elderly care, disability care and rehabilitation, and physiotherapy programs. This cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted with 302 students studying in health-related fields. Participants completed a Sociodemographic Information Form, the Altruism Scale, and the Willingness to Work with the Elderly Scale. Of the students, 50.3% (n = 152) were aged 20 years or younger and 83.4% (n = 252) were female. Female students, those living in the Eastern Anatolia region, and second year students had significantly higher scores on both scales or their subdimensions, while students from extended families and rural areas scored significantly higher only in willingness to work with the elderly (p < 0.05). Students in the elderly care program obtained significantly higher total scores on the Willingness to Work with the Elderly Scale and higher scores in several altruism subdimensions compared with the other departments (p < 0.05). A moderate positive correlation was observed between the total scores of the Willingness to Work with the Elderly Scale and the Altruism Scal (r = 0.377, p < 0.001). The relationships between sociodemographic variables and scale scores suggest that cultural and environmental factors may influence helping behaviors and professional orientation. Moreover, the strong association between altruism and willingness to work with the elderly highlights the importance of educational programs that promote empathy, self-sacrifice, and prosocial values. Increasing geriatric-focused curricular content, expanding clinical experiences, and strengthening value-based educational approaches may be effective strategies for enhancing students’ motivation to work with older individuals.