Background: Patients with HIV/AIDS have to face discrimination in the society and in health-care system. Knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS determine nurses attitude toward HIV/AIDS patients. It is worthwhile to assess existing knowledge of HIV/AIDS among nursing students to understand the prevailing situation.
Objective: To assess knowledge of HIV/AIDS among nursing students.
Materials and Methods: Prestructured and pretested questionnaire related to HIV knowledge was administered to the first and second year nursing students. Questionnaire included close-ended multiple choice questions. Students responses were recorded and analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages.
Result: In this study, it was found that the main source of information among nursing students was Internet (61%). About 62% students did not know that a person can be infected with HIV virus while not having the disease AIDS. About 50% students answered incorrectly for statement A person with HIV can look and feel healthy and well. About 50% students opined that HIV can be transmitted by kissingwith exchange of saliva of a person who has HIV. About 35% students answered incorrectly regarding the availability of the vaccine for HIV.
Conclusion: There is a gap in the existing knowledge of HIV/AIDS regarding vaccine availability, transmission routes, and general appearance of HIV/AIDS infected people. Nursing students knowledge could be improved by proper dissemination about the facts related to the HIV infection.
Key words: HIV/AIDS, nursing students, knowledge, mode of transmission
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