الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
HIV is one of the most extensively studied viruses in history. Globally, HIV has killed
near 36.3 million people up till now. Ending the HIV/AIDS requires concerted efforts,
increasing awareness, early diagnosis and immediate and adherent treatment initiation are
bases to control the disease. Nursing students are the future of registered nurses caring for
AIDS patients, good knowledge and positive attitudes are of vital importance.
The aim of the present study was to study the knowledge and attitudes towards
HIV/AIDS. Specific objectives were to assess the nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes
towards HIV/AIDS and to determine some factors affecting nursing students’ knowledge
and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS.
Across-sectional study was conducted among 400 randomly selected students of
Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University, Egypt during the academic year 2019 -2020. A
self-administered questionnaire was used for collecting data about socio-demographic
characteristics, HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and sources of knowledge of the study
participants about AIDS.
The study revealed the following results:
About two-thirds (60.3%) of the nursing students had fair knowledge, one-quarter
(25.7%) had good knowledge while, 14.0% had poor knowledge.
More than two-thirds of the students (68.0%) had negative attitudes towards HIV/AIDS,
one-quarter (25.8%) of them had strongly negative attitudes, and only 6.2% had positive
attitudes.
There was no significant association between the students’ total knowledge score and
total attitudes score.
The difference between the knowledge score in relation to age group and the academic
year was highly statistically significant.
The difference between attitudes score in relation to the academic year was statistically
significant.
About three-quarters (73.0%) were female, while (27.0%) were male. More than twothirds
(69.2%) were above 19 years old with mean age of 20.28 ± 1.38 years.
Majority of students (92.3%) were single.
Nearly three quarters (71.0%) of the students stated incomplete definition of AIDS.
Summary, C onclusions & Recommendations
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Majority of the students (94.5%, 85.0% and 83.3% respectively) mentioned that AIDS is
caused by virus, causes several serious complications and is a medical condition in which
body cannot fight off diseases.
About half (48.7%) of students mentioned that AIDS can be transmitted through breast
milk.
The majority of students (89.7%, 89.0% and 87.2% respectively) mentioned that
receiving blood from an AIDS patient, having sex with an AIDS patient and sharing
needles with an infected drug user can transmit AIDS.
About three-quarters (73.0%) of students knew that AIDS can be transmitted from a
pregnant woman with AIDS to the fetus.
Nearly half of students (49.0%) stated that AIDS cannot be cured. While, only 19.0% of
the students stated that there is no vaccine has recently been developed against AIDS.
The majority of students (86.3% and 80.5% respectively) stated that avoiding infection
from AIDS done by following the standard precautions measures and subcutaneous
injuries during intravenous injections are the most common cause of occupational
infections.
More than half of the students (53.0%) stated that used needle shouldn’t be recapped.
Majority of students stated that people with multiple sexual partners, homosexuals,
prostitutes, people who practice oral and anal sex and HCWs (86.5%, 83.5%, 82.5%, 80.2
and 80.0% respectively are high risk groups of contracting HIV.
More than two-thirds (69.0%) of the students had strongly negative attitudes towards
HIV/AIDS is a threat to HCWs.
Only 16.2% of the students had strongly positive attitudes towards fetuses infected with
AIDS should be aborted. While, 42.0% had strongly positive attitudes towards AIDS
patients right to have their diagnosis kept as a medical secret.
About two-thirds (62.7%) of students had strongly positive attitudes towards HCWs are
duty bound to treat all patients irrespective to HIV status.
More than half (56.8%) of the students had strongly negative attitudes towards wearing
gloves when touching AIDS patients.
Concerning the students’ sources of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, more than threequarters
of the students (76.8%) ranked school and university as the main source of
knowledge about HIV/AIDS. The other main sources of knowledge were (HCWs,
television, internet and books and social media) as stated by (61.5%, 61.3%, 60.0% and
57.0% respectively).
Summary, C onclusions & Recommendations
61
Based on the previous finding the study recommended that:
1- Improving both nursing students’ knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS using
different health educations strategies and methods as simulation, role playing,
psychodrama, case-scenarios, interactive learning and group discussion.
2- All students should be screened for HIV, trained better in the control and prevention of
HIV infection.
3- Reporting of sharp injuries should be considered as an essential part of infection control
activity.
4- Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and follow up facility should available for all students
should be compulsory for them and for free.
5- Continuous, up to date education and training programs and refreshing courses should
be provided to upgrade nursing knowledge hence enhancing attitudes towards
HIV/AIDS.