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. 2016 Mar;11(1):72-78.
doi: 10.1016/j.jds.2015.09.001. Epub 2015 Nov 18.

Chinese dental students' knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS

Rui Li  1 , Wenhang Dong  1 , Wei He  1 , Yiming Liu  1
Affiliations

Chinese dental students' knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS

Rui Li et al. J Dent Sci. 2016 Mar.

Abstract

Background/purpose: Oral care is vital to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals. As future dentists, it is pertinent that dental students have sufficient knowledge and a positive approach toward this disease. The purpose of this study was to assess HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes among clinical dental students in central China.

Materials and methods: This survey was conducted on 103 dental students in the final year of a 5-year program. A structured questionnaire with 50 questions examining their knowledge under various categories and 17 questions examining their attitudes toward the disease was employed.

Results: The survey was completed by 92.2% (95/103) of the students. The results revealed that more than half of the respondents demonstrated a good level of knowledge, although few exhibited an excellent level. The mean scores on knowledge was 79.41 ± 6.3 out of a maximum possible score of 100, and there was no significant difference regarding sex. Despite their good level of knowledge, the majority (93.68%) displayed a negative attitude (nonprofessional attitude) toward HIV/AIDS.

Conclusion: These findings might help to define strategies to improve the quality of education among Chinese dental students and suggests that there is a need to address student misconceptions and attitudes toward the disease.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS; attitude; dental students; knowledge.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Knowledge regarding HIV transmission in a dental setting. HIV = human immunodeficiency virus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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