Knowledge and Attitude of Dental Students towards HIV/AIDS Patients in Melaka, Malaysia
- Author:
Vijendra Pal Singh
;
Izni Syazana Osman
;
Nur Amanina Rahmat
;
Nur Ashikin Abu Bakar
;
Nurul Fathin Natasha Abdul Razak
;
Sowmya Nettem
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
attitude;
dental;
HIV/AIDS;
knowledge;
Malaysia;
students
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences
2017;24(3):73-82
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background: Cross contamination of HIV is a real threat today. Dental treatment often
includes direct contact with a patient’s blood and saliva, therefore dental professionals can be
easily exposed to HIV microorganisms. Hence, it is essential to gain insight into dental students’
knowledge and attitude towards HIV patients.
Method: A cross-sectional survey of 186 clinical year dental students (year 3, 4 and 5)
in the 2015–2016 academic session at the Faculty of Dentistry, Melaka-Manipal Medical College
(MMMC), Manipal University, Melaka volunteered to participate in the study. A self-administered
questionnaire was used to determine their knowledge and attitude towards HIV/AIDS patients.
Results: Among 137 respondents (females 74.5% and males 25.6%), 40.9% were Malay,
46.7% were Chinese, 10.2% were Indian and 2.2% were others. The majority had an excellent
(41.6%) to good (56.2%) knowledge and only (18%) had a professional attitude. There was a
statistically significant association of knowledge with gender (P = 0.009) and ethnicity (P =
0.024), However, no association was found between attitude and gender (P = 0.756) or ethnicity
(P = 0.792), or between knowledge and attitude (P = 0.473) of dental students.
Conclusion: Dental students’ knowledge was not significantly associated with attitude.
However, knowledge was associated with gender and ethnicity, but no association was found
between age and knowledge and between age, gender, or ethnicity and attitude.
- Full text:P020170717383656823814.pdf
