title: Medical students' attitudes toward persons with disability: a comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate first-year medical students' attitudes toward persons with disability and to examine whether gender and a background in disability determine attitudes toward persons with disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  University settings in the United States and Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety first-year medical students (US, n=46; Canada, n=44) were surveyed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical students given 3 surveys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Attitude Toward Disabled Persons (ATDP) Scale, Scale of Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons (SADP), and Rehabilitation Situations Inventory (RSI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between the medical student groups from the United States and Canada. Compared with norms, medical students overall have more positive attitudes on the ATDP. Their attitudes were less positive on the SADP and on its optimism-human rights subscale. On the RSI, they were less comfortable with sexual situations and depression. Male medical students held poorer attitudes as scored than female medical students. Those with a background in disability were more comfortable dealing with challenging rehabilitation situations. Comfort with challenging rehabilitation situations showed significant differences across levels of experience but not gender. The more positive medical students' attitudes are toward persons with disability, the more likely they are to be comfortable with challenging rehabilitation situations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  First-year medical students from the United States and Canada held similar attitudes and had less positive attitudes than SADP norms. Gender and background in disability influenced attitudes. Male medical students were more likely to hold negative attitudes. Specific educational experiences need to promote more positive attitudes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. rtervo@gillettechildrens.com
authors.forename: Raymond C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Tervo
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Redinius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011287:Prejudice; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000193:education; D012424:Rural Population; D012525:Saskatchewan; D012737:Sex Factors; D013023:South Dakota; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires