A comparative study on HIV/AIDS awareness among medical and non-medical students of Gujarat

Authors

  • Manish M. Kathad Department of Community Medicine, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  • Jay Patwa Department of Community Medicine, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2588-8176
  • Riddhi Patel Final MBBS, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  • Siddharth K. Patel Final MBBS, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  • Yatri Patel Final MBBS, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  • Jaydeep Pathak Final MBBS, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  • Chintan S. Prajapati Final MBBS, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20183887

Keywords:

HIV/AIDS, Modes of transmission, Awareness, Prevention

Abstract

Background: The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a modern pandemic affecting industrialized and developing countries. Around half of the new cases of HIV occur in individuals beneath 25 years of age. Present study was carried out to assess the knowledge and sensitization levels of 1st year college- students about basics of HIV/AIDS, prevention, support, treatment, their perceptions of programmatic services and stigma/discrimination pertaining to HIV/ AIDS.

Methods: One hundred medical students of SBKS MIRC, Sumandeep Vidhyapeeth and one hundred non-medical students of Sanskar education trust were interviewed with the help of pre-designed questionnaire to know and compare the awareness of HIV/AIDS among students.

Results: Correct knowledge of treatment, curability and vaccine of HIV was only with 85%, 40% and 55% among medical students and 66%, 24% and 48% among non-medical students respectively. Correct knowledge about route of transmission of HIV was higher in medical students compare to non-medical students and this Knowledge difference was statistically significant (p<0.05).

Conclusions: The outcomes underline that there is a need of education programs in the school and adolescent period in the nation so that risk groups will be appropriately educated about this deadly disease.

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Published

2018-09-24

How to Cite

Kathad, M. M., Patwa, J., Patel, R., Patel, S. K., Patel, Y., Pathak, J., & Prajapati, C. S. (2018). A comparative study on HIV/AIDS awareness among medical and non-medical students of Gujarat. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 5(10), 4268–4272. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20183887

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Original Research Articles