AIDS AWARENESS IN PATIENTS ATTENDING THE MEDICAL OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF A PUNE HOSPITAL

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Communication

Background:

• Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remains a significant global health concern.
• Understanding public awareness and knowledge gaps is crucial for effective prevention and intervention strategies.
• Patient-physician communication about sensitive health topics like AIDS requires careful consideration of awareness levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the level of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) awareness among out-patients.
• To identify factors influencing AIDS awareness, including education, media exposure, and demographics.
• To determine the implications of varying AIDS awareness levels for clinical communication.

Main Methods:

• A bilingual questionnaire was administered to 400 out-patients.
• Data were analyzed to derive educational, media, and AIDS awareness scores (%ES, %MS, %AAS).
• Statistical analysis identified correlations between awareness scores and demographic/socioeconomic factors.

Main Results:

• 25.8% of subjects had never heard of AIDS; misconceptions were common among those aware.
• %AAS varied significantly by occupation (e.g., students > house wives), with higher scores in urban populations and males.
• Ignorance of AIDS was linked to lower educational attainment, reduced public media exposure, and female gender.

Conclusions:

• A significant portion of the out-patient population exhibits limited or inaccurate knowledge about AIDS.
• Educational background and media exposure are critical determinants of AIDS awareness.
• Physicians must adopt a foundational communication approach when discussing AIDS with patients due to prevalent knowledge gaps.