Medical Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Related To HIV/AIDS

Objectives: What attitudes do medical students express about AIDS and does their knowledge correlate with these attitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of purposively selected 400 students of 1st and 2nd MBBS, Medical College Baroda was conducted during July 2008. They were asked to complete a pretested, prestructured, and designed written proforma and information was gathered. Results: About 18%believed that urine is a potential source of infection while only 64% believed that tattooing can spread HIV. About 90% stressed upon HIV testing for patients before admission. 66% students are not willing for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and 40 % were unwilling to assist in surgical procedure on HIV/AIDS patients. Conclusions: The results indicate that student’s knowledge about transmission was incomplete and their general willingness to provide care for patients with HIV, tempered by substantial concerns regarding the provision of such care.