Educational Intervention among Barbers to Improve Their Knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS: A Pilot Study from a South Asian Country.
One of the Millennium Development Goals is to combat HIV, the burden of which continues to increase in developing countries, like Pakistan. The prevalence is high among the high-risk population, and the use of unsterilized surgical instruments, traditional straight razors, and blades adds to the spread of this disease. This study assesses the effect of an educational intervention on the knowledge of 70 barbers practising in a suburban community in Pakistan regarding HIV and its symptoms and transmission. At baseline, only 10% of the barbers reported that they had ever heard about HIV compared to 49% after the intervention. Similarly, 4% and 6% of them had good knowledge at baseline about symptoms and transmission of the disease, increasing to 39% and 43% respectively, after the intervention (p<0.001). The results of this educational intervention warrant consideration of activation of mass campaigns to increase public awareness about bloodborne diseases and to educate personnel who might harm the persons in their communities by unsafe practices.
Saudi Postgraduate Family Medicine Program, Al-Khobar, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.
Mukesh
M
Kumar Krishanani
Department of Family Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Faridah Amir
FA
Ali
Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Ali Khan
AK
Khuwaja Late
Department of Family Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Waris
W
Qidwai
Department of Family Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Badar Sabir
BS
Ali
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001461:Barbering / Q000193:education* / Q000295:instrumentation; D002648:Child; D004493:Education / Q000379:methods*; D004522:Educational Status; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000193:education; D010154:Pakistan; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
AIDS; Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Barbers; Educational intervention; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Pakistan