title: Knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus, attitudes, and willingness to conduct human immunodeficiency virus testing among Indian dentists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  India has the third-highest number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the world. Early diagnosis can prevent HIV transmission and since a large proportion of the Indian population are likely to be seen in a dental setting, it may serve as an important site for early HIV diagnosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge of HIV, attitudes, and willingness to conduct HIV testing among Indian dentists.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of 503 Indian dentists was conducted in Delhi, Gandhinagar, Bhubaneswar, and Hyderabad (representing low, moderate, and high HIV prevalence areas).
  
  
  METHODS
  HIV knowledge was measured using the HIV-KQ-18, and attitudes and willingness were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive analysis and Chi-square test were performed using SPSS version 21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A third of the respondents had a high HIV knowledge score. High knowledge scores were positively associated with age group, level of education, and dental specialty. Over 73% were willing to deliver HIV-positive test results. Almost 80% of the respondents felt that rapid HIV testing was needed in a dental setting. Attitudes and willingness were found to be significantly related to the survey site suggesting cultural difference as an important factor in taking up HIV testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General awareness of HIV among this sample of Indian dentists appears to be low. The findings from this study however suggest that Indian dentists have expressed a need for rapid HIV testing in dental setting with a strong emphasis on the need for further education on HIV testing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Academics and Research, Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Priscilla C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ngaihte
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Santella
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ngaihte
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.forename: Sunil Saksena
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.forename: Vindhya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vatsyayan
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003815:Dentists; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires