No abstract

Objectives:Prehospital personnel, including law enforcement officers, paramedics, and fire-fighters, may be exposed to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while working. This study of prehospital personnel sought to determine: 1) their knowledge of the acquired immune syndrome (AIDS) and HIV transmission; 2) the extent of AIDS training received; 3) self-assessment of risk for HIV infection; and 4) precautions adopted to reduce occupational risk of exposure to HIV.Methods:A survey was administered to prehospital personnel in a large Southern California jurisdiction. The response rate was 41% (n = 1,756) in 10 city and county departments where respondents were employed. Law enforcement officers (44%), firefighters (44%), and paramedics (12%) comprised the sample.Results:Respondents had accurate knowledge about AIDS, but incorrect perceptions about HIV transmission. A minority believed that HIV could be contracted from casual contact. Training relating to AIDS was not frequent. Preventive practices were infrequent in the work setting, with precautions used less than 50% of the time on eight of 10 measures. One-third of these prehospital personnel assessed their risk for HIV infection as medium to high, largely attributable to fear of occupational exposure.Conclusions:Improved educational programs regarding HIV/AIDS are needed for prehospital personnel to increase the use of preventive occupational practices in the field.

A survey on AIDS was administered within a large, southern California jurisdiction to law enforcement officers and first responders (paramedics, firefighters). Respondents had accurate knowledge about AIDS but several incorrect perceptions about HIV transmission; a substantial proportion believed that HIV could be contracted from casual contact. AIDS training was not frequent. Self-assessment of HIV risk was medium to high risk in one-third of respondents, and was largely attributable to fear of occupational exposure. Appropriate precautionary professional practices were adopted at low frequencies, with respondents adopting preventive measures less than 50% of the time on 7 of 10 measures. Seventeen percent reportedly received requests for HIV/AIDS education from members of the public, which is incongruous with law enforcement officers' and first responders' demonstrated level of knowledge about HIV transmission. It was concluded that improved educational programs on HIV/AIDS are needed for law enforcement officers and first responders to increase the use of occupational precautions in the field, and to improve the accuracy of public AIDS education activities conducted by these professionals.

No abstract

No abstract