AIDS-related apprehensions among nursing students of Delhi

Students from a nursing school of Delhi were surveyed anonymously using a self-administered questionnaire to explore various AIDS-related apprehensions and their possible reasons. The observations revealed that, majority of the students and their families/friends feared that these students were at risk of contracting HIV infection while providing routine patient care. A large number of students also opined that they would feel uncomfortable while talking, hugging, shaking hands, and sharing a room with an HIV positive person. The main reasons for their apprehensions were unsatisfactory anti-AIDS campaigning by the government, non-availability of sufficient protective measures in the health care settings, inadequate professional education related to prevention of HIV infection, and increase in HIV transmission following false sense of security due to excessive condom promotion. Findings of the study imply imparting factual knowledge addressing the concerns and removing misconceptions which influence attitudes and willingness of the nursing students to provide care to the HIV positives/AIDS patients, facts regarding efficacy of various preventive measures, and provision of counselling services in the event of exposure.