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Public health students' knowledge of AIDS: implications for HIV-related training needs.

Richwald GA; Sekler JC; Kitimbo DW; Friedland JM

AIDS Educ Prev 1989 Summer; 1(2):89-95

00203810

An attempt was made to assess public health students' knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), to determine students' attitudes toward two HIV related public policies, and to describe student characteristics associated with an increased level of knowledge about HIV and attitudes toward these public policies. All 521 students enrolled in the University of California at Los Angeles School of Public Health and residing in Los Angeles received a 60 item AIDS questionnaire. Of the 521, 338 were returned and formed the study population. Most were able to answer correctly the questions relating to HIV testing and AIDS reporting, while considerably fewer could answer correctly the questions concerning HIV transmission and AIDS in intravenous drug users, women, prostitutes and children. Students who had completed an elective course on AIDS or who reported professional journals as their principal source of AIDS information scored somewhat higher. A strong relationship was found between higher scores and legal residence in the United States compared to foreign residence. Half of the students supported mandatory HIV antibody testing for marriage certificate applications while smaller numbers supported mandatory testing for hospital and clinic patients. Over half supported unrestricted disclosure of HIV antibody status to public health officials and sexual partners, although only 14% supported disclosure to health or life insurance companies. Students who favored mandatory testing for all groups had a somewhat lower score on the AIDS knowledge test. Students who supported involuntary disclosure had lower scores on the knowledge test as well.

Infectious-diseases; Disease-transmission; AIDS-virus; Viral-infections; Acquired-immune-deficiency-syndrome; Health-care-personnel; Education; Risk-factors

AEPREO

19890601

Journal Article

1989

2

0899-9546

DSHEFS

AIDS-virus

AIDS Education and Prevention

CA; OH