Attitude of Medical Students to Hiv Infected Persons

Abstract

Western Siberia is one of the main regions with a large number of HIV-infected individuals. District therapists are the main link that makes the first contact with HIV infected people. However, it is not yet clear how general practitioners agree with the communication with HIV infected people. In turn, effective communication between the doctor and the patient can be crucial in the formation of a positive attitude of the patient to treatment and significantly affect the effectiveness of future treatment activities. The study was conducted in 2017 by anonymous questionnaires. The study involved 334 medical students of the 4th year of the therapeutic and pediatric faculties of the NSMU. For the survey, an adapted questionnaire was developed, based on the UNAIDS model questionnaire. It was found that medical students do not condemn HIV infected people. They do not believe that people with a positive HIV status necessarily behave immorally and therefore deserve this disease. They are ready to help these patients, although they themselves feel the fear of infection during medical manipulations. A lack of knowledge of a number of legal issues concerning HIV infected patients has been established.