Comparison of opportunities to learn about HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases and HIV/AIDS among nursing students in Nagasaki University

Aim : This study was performed to evaluate the means by which nursing students in one area of the Kyushu/Okinawa region, Japan, obtained information regarding human T-cell leukemia virus type 1（HTLV-1）/HTLV-1-related diseases in comparison with human immunodeficiency virus（ HIV）/acquiredimmune deficiency syndrome（ AIDS）.Methods : A self-administered anonymous structured questionnaire survey was conducted in August 2014 among 79 nursing students in their 4th year of study at Nagasaki University in the Kyushu/Okinawaregion, Japan. The questionnaire elicited responses related to sources of information regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases and HIV/AIDS when the study participants were in junior high school, high school, and university.Results : A total of 60（ 75.9%）participants completed the questionnaire. All participants had opportunities to obtain information regarding HIV/AIDS between junior high school and the last 2 years of university.However, five（ 8.3%） participants reported having had no chances to obtain information regardingHTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in any period. The participants with greater numbers of formal and informal information sources regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in the junior high school andhigh school periods and of formal information sources in the university period also had greater numbers of informal information sources regarding HTLV-1/HTLV-1-related diseases in the university period（rs = 0.286, P = 0.027; rs = 0.384, P = 0.002; rs = 0.477, P < 0.001, respectively）.Conclusions : Due to the prevalence of HTLV-1 infection in Japan, education related to this virus should be provided from an early age, e.g., as part of compulsory education in junior high school. Accumulationof educational input, including early exposure, can develop a readiness among nursing students to learn about HTLV-1 infection.