title: AIDS-related experience, knowledge, attitudes and beliefs amongst nurses in an area with a high rate of HIV infection.
abstract: The results are presented of a survey of the AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of a random sample of 600 qualified nurses in the Lothian Region of Scotland. This locality is characterized by a high rate of detected HIV infection which is mainly associated with intravenous drug use. This study indicated that 64% of respondents had contact with HIV-infected patients and that 48% had nursed people with AIDS. Levels of AIDS-related knowledge were not high and a substantial proportion of nurses reported lacking basic AIDS information and professional support to enable them to work effectively with people who have AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003376:Counseling / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015497:HIV-1; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards; D016079:Refusal to Treat; D012380:Role; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology