Knowledge and attitudes of paramedical students in Saudi Arabia toward HIV/AIDS.
Saudi Med J
; 26(8): 1183-9, 2005 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-16127510
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
The present study aimed to build a baseline profile for knowledge and attitudes of Saudi paramedical students toward human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS).METHODS:
The study was a cross-sectional one conducted on a sample selected from health institutes and colleges in Saudi Arabia during the calendar year 2002/2003.RESULTS:
A high percentage of students correctly perceive the risk presented by HIV/AIDS. Extramarital sex and unprotected sex were the most frequently mentioned risky behaviors. Misconceptions and lack of knowledge regarding transmission of HIV/AIDS were reported. Lack of knowledge on the means of individual protection, means of protection of infants of HIV/AIDS-infected mothers and means of protection of HIV/AIDS-infected individual's wife was observed. While friends were the main source of information among male students, booklets were the main source of information among females. More than two-thirds of students were willing to be tested for HIV. We observed negative attitudes toward discussing AIDS topics with others, home-care for HIV/AIDS individuals and HIV/AIDS-infected individual's right at work.CONCLUSION:
We found lack of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS transmission and means for prevention in addition to unfavorable attitudes towards HIV/AIDS individuals. We recommend an evaluation of HIV/AIDS information in the curricula of health institutes and health colleges in addition to conduction of a nationwide health education campaign on HIV/AIDS.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Students, Medical
/
HIV Infections
/
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
/
Allied Health Personnel
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Saudi Med J
Year:
2005
Type:
Article