Changing knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Thai oral health personnel with regard to AIDS: an evaluation of an educational intervention.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the effect of an educational intervention in improving Thai oral health personnel's (OHP) knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding HIV/AIDS.


METHODS
The study used a pre-test/post-test design with study and control groups.


RESULTS
of the pre-test questionnaire were used to design the intervention. Three months after the study group received the intervention, the same questionnaire was given to both groups.


METHODS
A three-day workshop was conducted using a variety of teaching methods: lectures, videos, role-plays, interviews with HIV infected persons, and demonstrations.


METHODS
The study was conducted in rural government dental clinics in three provinces in southern Thailand. One hundred and three OHP in 23 dental clinics were in the study group while 46 OHP in II dental clinics were in the control group.


METHODS
The outcomes were knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS, perception of occupational risk, willingness to treat HIV infected persons and adherence to recommended infection control procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
The educational intervention resulted in significant improvement in many domains of KAP in the study group, while there was little change in the control group. The post-test questionnaire showed that further improvements are needed in attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and practices regarding accidental needle stick injury. The intervention was both effective and appropriate and should be considered for national use.
Lueveswanij
S
S
Rural Oral Health Care Centre of Southern Thailand, Faculty of Dentistry Prinice of Songkla University, Songkhla.
Nittayananta
W
W
Robison
V A
VA
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003798:Dental Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005260:Female; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D019552:Infection Control, Dental; D007318:Inservice Training; D008297:Male; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand