Abstract: Differences in knowledge and social stigma relating to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among nursing student and technical college students.

 The prevalence of AIDS in Srilanka is less than 0.1% of the general population, there is an increased risk of an increase in the number. Stigmas towards AIDS have hampered both preventive and curative aspect of the disease.

Nursing students have a future prospectus of taking care of people living with HIV/AIDS. This study was done to evaluate their knowledge of AIDS and stigma towards it in comparison with a non-medical student group, Technical college students.

Objective

To find the level of knowledge and difference in social stigma on HIV/AIDS among Nursing students and Technical college students.

Methodology

A cross sectional study. Using nursing students from NTS and students from Technical college galle ,of a total 300 individuals in the sample, which was selected by cluster sampling. Self administered questionnaire was introduced to them and data was collected from 21^st  to 28^th February 2010. A scoring system was adopted to the respondant’s answers. Data analysis was done manually and significant testing was used for each component of the study.

Results

Nursing student had a significantly higher knowledge than technical students (p=0.05),but no significant difference level of knowledge of prevention among the two groups. Fear of casual transmission, value based stigma, discrimination ,all of which are indicators of stigma, nursing students had less stigma,compared with technical college students. nursing students belive significantly  less of voluntary disclosure of AIDS by the infected than other group.

Conclusion & Recommendations

Nursing students have better knowledge and less social stigma arising due to fear of casual transmission, value based stigma , and discrimination compared to technical college students. we recommend further study on the revealed results.

Key words- AIDS , Social stigma, Nursing students, Technical college students,

A good lesson

Usually i hate most of the circulating emails.But like all other things of the world, there are a few good things among those idiotic mails. but this took my attention,because as a medical student we often forget this.
so im reproducing it here..............

The Mayonnaise  Jar

When  things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24  hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of  coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy  class
and  had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
he  picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and start to fill it with  golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and  poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again
if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With an unanimous  'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the  table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the  professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life..

The golf balls are the important things - God,  family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions
Things  that if everything else was lost
and  only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --
The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar  first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf  balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy  on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that  are
important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really  matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand..'

One of the students raised her hand
and inquired what the coffee represented.

The  professor smiled..

'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that  no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Please share this with other "Golf Balls"  

I just did.....