<p>An Analytical Comparison of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding HIV/AIDS Among Medical and Non-Medical Students in Iran</p>

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Young people are the main group at risk of HIV/AIDS due to factors such as curiosity, peer pressure, lack of knowledge and skills, unsafe sexual behaviors, and drug abuse. The present study was conducted to compare the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding HIV/AIDS among medical and non-medical students in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on a population consisting of the students of Shahid Beheshti University (SBU) and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU). A total of 303 students were randomly selected from the two universities. Data were collected using a researcher-made HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire. Data were then analyzed using the independent t-test, Mann-Whitney's U-test, the ANOVA, and the Kruskal-Wallis test in SPSS-18. P<0.05 was set as the level of significance for all the tests. Findings: The frequencies of marital status, education, smoking, alcohol and psychotropic substance use, employment status, and source of information differed significantly between the medical and non-medical students. There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding knowledge (P<0.001) and practice (P=0.019) regarding HIV/AIDS. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their attitude toward HIV/AIDS (P=0.503). The results of the ANOVA revealed a significant correlation between marital status and practice (P=0.022), education and attitude (P=0.004), and smoking and knowledge (P=0.008) among the medical students. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between the demographic variables and knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding HIV/AIDS among the non-medical students (P>0.005). Conclusion:The present findings showed that designing and developing appropriate educational programs, offered through group media, scientific seminars, courses, lectures, and group discussions, can be effective in enhancing the students' knowledge and changing their attitudes and should be incorporated into healthcare programs.

Effect of HIV/AIDS information distribution on the status of behavioral change among students of higher education institutions in Ethiopia: experience of Wollo University

“…Similar to the findings from Jimma University [12], Mizan-Tepi University [13], Bahir Dar University [14], and Ethiopian Civil Service College students [15], the present study also ob- served some misconceptions among the participants on different aspects of the disease. The overall knowledge of the students on the modes of transmission and prevention was good, and the knowledge was higher among CHS students (89.3%) comparing with FBE (66.2%), which is in line with a study done at Madda Walabu University, Southeast Ethiopia [16] and Iran [17]. A possible justification for higher knowledge of health science students is that they get such kind of information in some courses as part of their curriculum.…”

Investigation of AIDS-related high-risk behaviors and self-testing services among students from traditional Chinese medicine university

“…Health education enhances AIDS-related attitudes, knowledge, and behavior [10,11], such as lectures and group discussions. Peer education effectively enhances the students' knowledge and changes their attitudes [12,13]. In our study, 3.4% of students had sexual behavior.…”

Comparison of knowledge, attitude, and practice of healthcare staff toward sexually transmitted infections in Markazi Province, Iran

“…In the present study, there was a significant difference in terms of practice between married and single people, and married employees had a better practice. As other studies have shown, married medical students perform better [28,35,36]. This may be due to their direct involvement in sexual activity, and thus, they better understand the consequences of not following health tips during sex, which can lead to their better practice comparing to single people.…”

“…As studies show, medical students have a low negative attitude towards sexually transmitted diseases, such as AIDS, and their education increases their experience and improves their attitude [32][33][34][35] that it can affect the practice. In our study, total practice was optimal and it seems that midwives had a better practice.…”