Attitudes towards the risk of HIV transmission in sport

Abstract

Objective. There is a real risk of transmitting HIV through open wounds during participation in sport. The aim of this study was to investigate athlete s knowledge and attitudes towards HIV transmission in a competitive sport environment how their sporting codes, demographics, knowledge and interaction with colleagues influenced their attitudes. Design.A questionnaire was administered to elite athletes (N = 575) competing in 11 sport codes including high, medium and low-risk sports, and undergraduate students (N = 46) from a Sport Science Department. Athletes from all economic backgrounds, who competed at national, provincial or at first-division level, were included in this study. The questionnaire was distributed during national tournaments and training sessions.