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 28th 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,
