Abstract
1. Mostafa A. Abolfotouh[1][1] 2. Samar A. Al Saleh[1][1] 3. Aisha A. Mahfouz[1][1] 4. Sherif M. Abolfotouh[2][2] 5. Haya M. Al Fozan[3][3] 1. 1King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2. 2Alexandria University, Egypt 3. 3King Saud bin-Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 1. Mostafa A. Abolfotouh, Biobanking Section, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Mail Code 1515, King Saud Bin-Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Health Affairs, P.O.B 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Email: mabolfotouh{at}gmail.com This study aimed to assess acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related knowledge, attitudes, and risk perception among Saudi nursing students, and to identify predictors of their willingness to provide care for patients with AIDS. A cross-sectional study of 260 baccalaureate nursing students at King Saud bin-Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was done using a previously validated instrument. Students’ knowledge percentage mean score (PMS) on AIDS was 72.93 ± 10.67 reflecting an average level of knowledge. There were many misconceptions about how AIDS is transmitted, for example, use of same toilets and bathrooms and washing clothes together (24.9%), swimming (53.7%), and coughing and sneezing (49.6%). Nursing students reported an overall negative attitude toward AIDS, with a PMS of 43.48 ± 9.21. The majority of students agreed that AIDS patients should be isolated from other patients (83%), and should not share the room with other noninfected patients (81.8%), and some reported that people living with AIDS deserve what has happened to them (24.7%). After controlling for confounders, students’ poor knowledge and negative attitude were associated only with having never been given nursing education as their primary university education “Stream 2 students” ( p = .012 and p = .01, respectively). These findings have implications for development of teaching strategies and curricular approaches for nursing to address this health care issue. [1]: #aff-1 [2]: #aff-2 [3]: #aff-3
Highlights
R Introduction T Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are among the most complex
In some countries, injecting drugs is the major cause of HIV infection (Badahdah & Sayem, 2010)
HIV/AIDS is transmitted through sexual transmission, parenteral, perinatal transmission, and contaminated blood products (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and World Health Organization [UNAIDS/WHO], 2006)
Summary
R Introduction T Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are among the most complex. As of January 5, 2011, the prevalence rate of AIDs among Saudi adults 15 to 49 years was 0.04%, with 10,000 people with AIDs and 300 deaths (UNAIDS/WHO, 2008). The route of infection in the Arab world is unprotected heterosexual intercourse. HIV/AIDS is transmitted through sexual transmission, parenteral, perinatal transmission, and contaminated blood products (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and World Health Organization [UNAIDS/WHO], 2006). As of 2009, it is estimated that there are 33.3 million people worldwide infected with HIV HIV/AIDs prevalence rates in the Corresponding Author: Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) are low, the region has one of the fastest-growing HIV infection rates in the world (United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS, 2007). Djibouti and Sudan have the highest prevalence rates in the Arab world and are facing a generalized epidemic
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