Gerd Röndahl1, Sune Innala, Marianne Carlsson. 1. Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Section of Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala Science Park, Uppsala, Sweden. gerd.rondahl@telia.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Two decades after the emergence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the infection remains enigmatic and shameful. In Sweden, many HIV-infected persons still encounter attitudes of avoidance. AIMS: The aims were to investigate differences between attitudes of nurses, assistant nurses, nursing students and assistant nursing students towards HIV-infected and homosexual HIV-infected patients; to measure their fear of contracting HIV; and to investigate whether nurses, assistant nurses, nursing students and assistant nursing students wanted to refrain from caring for HIV-infected patients. ETHICAL ISSUES: The participants were informed of the study orally and in writing. Completing and returning the anonymous questionnaires indicated the participants' tacit consent. RESEARCH METHOD: The study had a descriptive, comparative quantitative design. The AIDS Attitude Scale was used, along with a questionnaire specially designed for the study. The participants were nurses and assistant nurses from one infectious disease clinic in central Sweden [response rate was 67% (n = 57)]. Students enrolled in a university nursing programme and students of upper secondary assistant nurses' training [response rate was 62% (n = 165)] were also included. FINDINGS: In general, both the nursing staff and the nursing students expressed empathic attitudes towards HIV-infected and homosexual HIV-infected patients, as well as a low degree of fear of HIV contagion. The findings also showed, in the professional groups, that 36% would refrain from caring for HIV-infected patients if that possibility existed. The corresponding figure for the student groups was 26%. LIMITATIONS: The chosen sample was small and not randomly selected therefore precludes a generalization in a wider context. Furthermore, the questionnaire was untested for reliability and validity, and may have influenced the findings with respect to the wish to refrain from nursing HIV-infected patients. CONCLUSION: Suggested guidelines for nursing, mentor-ship by AIDS-dedicated nurses, and educational interventions, are given in 'Implications for nursing and nursing education'.
BACKGROUND: Two decades after the emergence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the infection remains enigmatic and shameful. In Sweden, many HIV-infectedpersons still encounter attitudes of avoidance. AIMS: The aims were to investigate differences between attitudes of nurses, assistant nurses, nursing students and assistant nursing students towards HIV-infected and homosexual HIV-infectedpatients; to measure their fear of contracting HIV; and to investigate whether nurses, assistant nurses, nursing students and assistant nursing students wanted to refrain from caring for HIV-infectedpatients. ETHICAL ISSUES: The participants were informed of the study orally and in writing. Completing and returning the anonymous questionnaires indicated the participants' tacit consent. RESEARCH METHOD: The study had a descriptive, comparative quantitative design. The AIDS Attitude Scale was used, along with a questionnaire specially designed for the study. The participants were nurses and assistant nurses from one infectious disease clinic in central Sweden [response rate was 67% (n = 57)]. Students enrolled in a university nursing programme and students of upper secondary assistant nurses' training [response rate was 62% (n = 165)] were also included. FINDINGS: In general, both the nursing staff and the nursing students expressed empathic attitudes towards HIV-infected and homosexual HIV-infectedpatients, as well as a low degree of fear of HIV contagion. The findings also showed, in the professional groups, that 36% would refrain from caring for HIV-infectedpatients if that possibility existed. The corresponding figure for the student groups was 26%. LIMITATIONS: The chosen sample was small and not randomly selected therefore precludes a generalization in a wider context. Furthermore, the questionnaire was untested for reliability and validity, and may have influenced the findings with respect to the wish to refrain from nursing HIV-infectedpatients. CONCLUSION: Suggested guidelines for nursing, mentor-ship by AIDS-dedicated nurses, and educational interventions, are given in 'Implications for nursing and nursing education'.
Entities:
Keywords:
Empirical Approach; Health Care and Public Health
Authors: Sarah E Stutterheim; Lenneke Sicking; Ronald Brands; Ineke Baas; Hilde Roberts; Wim H van Brakel; Lilian Lechner; Gerjo Kok; Arjan E R Bos Journal: AIDS Patient Care STDS Date: 2014-12 Impact factor: 5.078