Nurturing Awareness

Background: Given that nursing students will care for both individuals with AIDS and the general population, it is crucial to assess their knowledge and attitudes towards HIV. The aim of this study was to assess nursing students’ knowledge and attitudes towards AIDS, as well as to identify the factors that shape their perceptions and understanding of this disease. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study included a sample of 304 nursing students from a university. Data were collected using the descriptive characteristics determination form, AIDS Knowledge Scale, and AIDS Attitude Scale to assess the participants’ sociodemographic characteristics. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the variables that had a significant effect on the level of AIDS knowledge and attitude. Results: In this study, it was found that 74.3% of the nursing students were female, with a mean age of 20.55 ± 1.46 years. The main finding of the study indicated a low level of AIDS knowledge (11.48 ± 5.03) among the nursing students, coupled with a negative attitude towards AIDS (52.15 ± 7.85). In addition, the level of knowledge about AIDS and attitudes towards the illness were found to be explained to a significant extent by the class in which the students were enrolled, accounting for a variance of 25%. Conclusions: Consequently, our study revealed that the majority of nursing students had negative attitudes towards AIDS, along with a limited level of knowledge about the subject. Further analysis showed that knowledge levels significantly influenced attitudes. This study emphasizes the necessity of delivering precise and tailored information to nursing students, who are prospective health care professionals, to elevate their knowledge and cultivate positive attitudes towards AIDS consistently and comprehensively.