title: Effectiveness of a knowledge-contact program in improving nursing students' attitudes and emotional competence in serving people living with HIV/AIDS.
abstract: This study compared the effectiveness of an AIDS knowledge-only program (knowledge) with a combined program of AIDS knowledge and contact with people having HIV/AIDS (PHA) (knowledge-contact) in reducing nursing students' stigma and discrimination towards PHA and in enhancing their emotional competence to serve PHA. Eighty-nine nursing students from two universities in Hong Kong were randomly assigned to either the knowledge or the knowledge-contact condition. All participants completed measures of AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, positive affect, and negative affect at pre-test, post-test, and six-week follow-up. Findings showed that in both groups, significant improvement in AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, and negative affect were found at post-test. The effects on AIDS knowledge, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, and negative affect were sustained at follow-up for both groups. Intergroup comparisons at post-test showed that the effectiveness of knowledge-contact program was significantly greater than knowledge program in improving stigmatizing attitudes. No significant difference between the two groups was found at follow-up. Findings showed the short-term effect of contact in improving nursing students' attitudes and emotional competence in serving PHA. Implications for research and training of nursing staff were discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jessie W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yiu
authors.forename: Winnie W S
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: Winnie S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Ying Yu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chui
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000451:nursing*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D012579:Schools, Nursing; D013240:Stereotyping; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult