Shirazyan A, Jones D, Jackson T, Carr M, Radwan H, Miles S, Phillips I, Joe E, Canzona C, Garrison C, Flack S, Boles C; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. MoPeD2743.
A. Shirazyan, Winston-Salem State University, 601 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27110, United States, Tel.: +1 336 750 21 94, Fax: +1 336 750 21 92 Att: Radwan, E-mail: radwanh@wssumits.wssu.edu
Background: The increased incidence of HIV/AIDS in North Carolina is alarming. According to the HIV/AIDS Surveillance report, the state of North Carolina is the seventh in the nation for persons reported with HIV or AIDS. Forsyth County ranks the fifth highest county in the state for the incidence of HIV/AIDS. This study was conducted to determine the knowledge and attitudes of health care individuals residing in Forsyth County towards populations with HIV/AIDS. Methods: Seventy two undergraduate students (physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, and clinical laboratory science) and 67 health care professionals completed a survey consisting of three sections (I. Sociodemographic, II. Knowledge, III. Attitude). In the knowledge section designed as "yes", "no" and "not sure", "not sure" counted as an incorrect answer. In the attitude section of the survey a Likert scale was used, with a five-point response ranging from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree". Data was analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test. Results: The results of this study showed that clinical laboratory sciences and nursing students have less knowledge compared to professionals. Clinical laboratory science students and professionals had a significantly negative attitude towards HIV/AIDS when compared to the other health care individuals. However, clinical laboratory science professionals possess significantly more knowledge than the other health care professionals. Conclusion: Of the participants, negative attitudes, response towards people with HIV/AIDS was greatest in the clinical laboratory science professionals and students. These results may be due to less contact time with patients as compared to other health care individuals. Less knowledge in this student population may have resulted in the negative attitude toward people with HIV/AIDS. Future research in this area may compare pre and post exposure of students and professionals to people with HIV/AIDS to determine if there is a difference in perception toward HIV/AIDS after more cont
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Attitude
- Data Collection
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Personnel
- Humans
- Incidence
- Knowledge
- North Carolina
- Research
- Students
- Students, Nursing
Other ID:
UI: 102238493
From Meeting Abstracts