Objectives: To determine the knowledge and attitude of medical and non-medical
students of Peshawar University regarding HIV/AIDS.
Methods: This cross sectional observational study was conducted on students of
Khyber Medical College and Peshawar University Departments of English, Urdu,
Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Chemistry and Botany students from January 2005
to October 2005. Students were divided into four groups. They were asked to fulfill a predesigned
questionnaire. The variables assessed were their knowledge of disease
(etiology, mode of transmission, and prevention) and attitude towards AIDS patients.
Results: A total of 500 students participated, with 150 (30%) pre-clinical students, 100
(20%) clinical students and 125 (25%) each science and art students. The male female
ratio was 2:1; mean age of respondents was 22±1.5 years. Seventy nine percent students
knew the causative agent of the disease and 94.6% agreed that it is a communicable
disease. Only 29% of students were willing to share daily use items with these patients
with fear that they might get disease. Male students agreed on utilization of sterilized
blades for shave (97.2%), and disposable syringe for IV medications (92%). They prefer
blood transfusion screened for HIV (93.6%).
Conclusion: There is a satisfactory awareness among the medical students entering into
the profession. An acceptable difference was recorded among clinical, preclinical and
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non-clinical students regarding their knowledge and attitude about HIV and AIDS.
(Rawal Med J 2008;33:18-20).
Key words: HIV/AIDS, Awareness among students, attitude, University of Peshawar.
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