KNOWLEDGE ON HIV/AIDS AMONG NURSING STUDENTS IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Study shows that understanding regarding HIV/AIDS among the Bangladeshi nursing students is not up to the mark. This investigation planned to evaluate the knowledge of student nurses with regards to AIDS in Bangladesh. The study was a cross sectional descriptive study conducted among the students of 1st year, 2nd year and 3rd year in Nursing Institute, Mitford Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2014. Hundred and fifty nursing students were selected following systematic sampling technique and data were collected with a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire under specific guidance, who met the inclusion criteria. Knowledge of the nursing students regarding the HIV/AIDS was not satisfactory. More than two-fifth of the participants didn’t know that the proper use of a male condom could prevent transmission of the HIV/AIDS virus through sexual contacts. Only 4.7% of the respondents reported that they receive knowledge on HIV infection from school. This study found strong association between level of knowledge on HIV and attendance of nursing students to training program on HIV infection. Although the level of awareness is expected to be high, misunderstandings about the means of disease spread were common among the nursing students.