German nursing students' knowledge of and attitudes to HIV and AIDS: two decades after the first AIDS cases. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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German nursing students' knowledge of and attitudes to HIV and AIDS: two decades after the first AIDS cases.

J Adv Nurs. 2000 Mar;31(3):696-703. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/20184250
Lohrmann C; Valimaki M; Suominen T; Muinonen U; Dassen T; Peate I; Humboldt-Universitat, Institut fur Medizin-/Pflegepadagogik; und Pflegewissenschaft, Berlin, Germany. chrlohrmann@yahoo.com


Abstract: German nursing students' knowledge of and attitudes to HIV and AIDS: two decades after the first AIDS case This study describes German nursing students' (n=180) knowledge and attitudes relating to HIV/AIDS, their homophobia level, willingness to care for people with AIDS, and their approach to possible sexual risk behaviours. A questionnaire was used to collect the data (response rate 97.8%). The results indicated that the nursing students had a rather high knowledge level concerning AIDS. However, there were gaps of knowledge, such as regarding AIDS immunopathology or the symptoms of the disease. Single nursing students and those having cared for a person with AIDS had a more thorough knowledge about the disease. In general, the attitudes towards AIDS and people with AIDS were tolerant and positive, and homophobia was only found with a small minority. Students having positive attitudes towards people with HIV/AIDS had less homophobia compared to those having negative attitudes towards persons suffering from AIDS. Those with positive attitudes were more willing to care for patients with HIV/AIDS, while those with a high homophobia level were less willing to do so. In addition, students having a high AIDS knowledge level tended less towards negative attitudes and homophobia than those with a low level of knowledge. The implications of the research for nursing education will be discussed.


Keywords: JOURNAL ARTICLE Adolescence Adult *Attitude of Health Personnel Attitude to Health Educational Measurement Fear Female Germany Homosexuality Human HIV Infections/*NURSING *Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Male Middle Age Prejudice Questionnaires Refusal to Treat Risk-Taking Sex Behavior/PSYCHOLOGY/STATISTICS & NUMER DATA Students, Nursing/*PSYCHOLOGY Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

KWDjournalarticleadolescenceadultKWDattitudeofhealthpersonnelattitudetohealtheducationalmeasurementfearfemalegermanyhomosexualityhumanhivinfections/KWDnursingKWDknowledge,attitudes,practicemalemiddleageprejudicequestionnairesrefusaltotreatrisk-takingsexbehavior/psychology/statistics&numerdatastudents,nursing/KWDpsychologysupport,non-uKWDsKWDgov't
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A0061922


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