This study aimed to assess the knowledge of nurses at BPKIHS regarding HIV/AIDS and their attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS. The results showed that while nurses had some basic knowledge about transmission and prevention, their understanding of disease pathogenesis and services available was inadequate. Most nurses held positive attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients but some negative views were also present, likely due to information gaps. The study concluded there is an urgent need for continuous HIV/AIDS education for nurses to improve both knowledge and attitudes.

1. Knowledge about HIV Infection and
Attitude towards People Living with
HIV/AIDS among the Nurses Working
in BPKIHS
Mehta RS, Karki P, Rijal S
B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences

2. Introduction
Everybody is at
risk of getting HIV.
However certain
Persons have high
risk.

3. Some Facts about HIV/AIDS
• 4th biggest killer world wide
• More than 95 % cases in low & middle
income countries
• Symptom free period up to 10 years or
More
• HIV transmission is 10 times more on STIs
• ART Cost: very expensive

4. • About 1/3 are aged 15-24 years
• Most people do not know they are infected
• Gravity of Different mode of Transmission:
* Sexual intercourse = 80-90 %
* Blood Transfusion = 3-15 %
* Injecting Drug users = 5 -10 %
* Equipments/Needles = < 0.1 %
* Perinatal = 0.1%

5. HIV positive to AIDS
– 33 % = Only develop AIDS
– 64 % = Till death live without
Symptoms
– 5-10- 20 yrs = A symptomatic
Concentrated epidemic:
Sex workers (4%), Migrant Population (4-10%) &
IVDUs(51%)

6. No of Reported Cases
( HIV Infection)
1st case in Nepal --July 1988
Since then increasing
1988 - 4
1992 - 77
1996 - 135
2000 - 700
2004 - 4442
2007 - 10546 Dec.15th

7. Objectives:
The main objective of this study
was to find out the knowledge
about HIV infection and explore
the attitude of nurses towards the
PLWHA working in BPKIHS.

8. Research Design and Methodology:
• Descriptive cross-sectional study
• Conducted among the nurses (Staff
Nurses & ANMs)
• Using stratified random sampling
method the wards were selected
• Using population proportionate
method the nurses were selected

9. • Total 60 nurses were involved in the
study out of 240 nurses
• The nurses working in Psychiatric and
Maternity units were excluded from
the study.
• The data was collected during the first
week of October 2007.
• The collected data was entered in
SPSS software package and
analyzed.

10. Results:
Demographic profile of the subjects:
• Out of 60 nurses 60 % were
below 25 years and only 8.3%
were of age group of 30-35
Years.
• The mean age was 24.8 years
with SD 3.88 and range 20-35
years.

11. • Majority of them (91.7%) were Hindu,
Staff Nurses (78.3%), Unmarried
(63.3%), from villages (71.7%),
cared the admitted AIDS patients in
ward(68.3%), not taken HIV/AIDS
training previously (100%), and
belongs to Sunsari(25%), Morang
(15%) and Kathmandu (10%)
districts.

12. Knowledge Profile of the
subjects:

13. Table-I
Knowledge Profile of the Subjects about HIV/AIDS (n=60)
SN Knowledge Profile about HIV/AIDS Percentage Score
1 What is AIDS?
a. Life threatening disease 61.7
b. Preventable disease 11.7
c. Contagious disease 16.7
d. I do not know 10
2 Causes of AIDS
a. Bacteria 13.3
b. HIV virus 86.7
c. Mosquito 0
d. I do not know 0

14. Table-I (continue)
3 Risk of getting HIV/AIDS
A. High risk 70
b. May be 28.3
c. No risk 1.7
4 Cared the Patients with AIDS
a. Yes ( Cared) 68.3
b. No ( Not Cared) 37.7

15. 5 HIV infection is diagnosed by blood test 80
6 Knowledge about confirmation of by lab test
a. Yes 45
b. No 28.3
c. Do not know/Not sure 26.7
7 HIV virus is found in
a. Saliva and tears 8.3
b. Blood 83.7
c. Semen/Vaginal Secretion 76.7
8 T-Lymphocytes damaged by HIV virus 68.3
9 HIV/AIDS is a communicable disease
a. yes (communicable) 78.3
b. No (non-communicable) 10
c. Do not know 11.7

16. Ways of Transmission of HIV/AIDS
a. shaking hands, hugging, kissing 30
b. Eating from same plate 13.3
c. If one is transfused with HIV positive blood. 90
d. Making tattoos on the body 58.3
e. Children born to HIV infected mothers 75
f. By the bite of mosquito 25
g. Using common syringes 78.3
h. Sharing utensils and clothes 21.7

17. 11 Symptoms of HIV/AIDS
a. Anorexia/Wt. Loss 90
b. Fatigue/Weakness 70
c. Pain 6.7
d. Shortness of Breath 26.7
e. Nausea/Vomiting 20
f. Cough 26.7
g. Anxiety/Depression 55
h. Skin Breakdown 15
i. Diarrhoea 80
j. Confusion/Dementia 8.3
k. Constipation 20
l. Fever 25
12 HIV virus survive in body fluids inside living human body 63.3
13 HIV/AIDS is a curable disease 8.3

19. Table- II
Knowledge about prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS (n=60)
Percentage
SN Knowledge Profile (+ Responses) Score
(%)
1 Applying the principles of Universal Precautions 98.3
2 Use and administer blood and blood products only after 86.7
screening
3 Not touching the infected person 18.3
4 Not sharing the needles, razors and blades 90
5 Not to conceive if one has HIV/AIDS 75
6 Practice safe sex 91.7

20. 7 Be faithful to the partners 80
8 Heared about the term highly active anti-retroviral 36.7
therapy ( HAART) ( yes)
9 AIDS patients are more prone to develop opportunistic 60
illness ( yes)
10 Vaccine is available against HIV (yes) 25
11 Knowledge about post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) 45
12 Bleaching/Chlorine is used to clean blood spillage on 80
surface ( Yes)
13 Linen of AIDS patients should be send to laundry only after 73.3
disinfection on in chlorine/bleaching (yes)
14 Using condom during sex 98.3
15 Having no sexual relationship with multiple partners 91.7

21. 16 Having sex with single faithful husband and wife 95
17 Avoiding homosexual activities 86.7
18 Not having sex with commercial sex workers 83.3
19 Receiving safe blood transfusion 100
20 Using of disposable or sterilized syringe only 96.7
21 Avoid to use common syringe by intravenous drug abuser 96.7

23. Table- III
Extent of knowledge about HIV/AIDS Related
services available at BPKIHS (n=60)
SN Knowledge Profile Percentage Score
1 VCT services
a. Adequate 8.3
b. Inadequate 15
c. Not at all 76.7
2 PMTCT services
a. Adequate 13.3
b. Inadequate 13.3
c. Not at all 73.4
3 ART services
a. Adequate 8.3
b. Inadequate 10
c. Not at all 81.7

24. 4 STIs/IDCs/OIs clinics
a. Adequate 11.7
b. Inadequate 16.7
c. Not at all 71.7
5 CD -4 count test
a. Adequate 13.3
b. Inadequate 11.7
c. Not at all 75
6 HIV test
a. Adequate 53.3
b. Inadequate 25
c. Not at all 21.7

25. 7 ART Drug availability
a. Adequate 21.7
b. Inadequate 23.3
c. Not at all 55
8 PEP services
a. Adequate 15
b. Inadequate 26.7
c. Not at all 58.3
9 Infection control protocol of BPKIHS
a. Adequate 36.7
b. Inadequate 28.3
c. Not at all 35

27. Table – IV
Attitude among the nurses towards People Living with
AIDS (P=positive & N=negative) (n=60)
Uncertain
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly
Strongly
Agree
Agree
S
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
Attitude
N
1 AIDS is caused by curse of God.
(N) 3.3 5 1.7 11.7 783.
2 Person affected should not be
allowed to stay in community. (N) 5 5 3.3 21.7 65
3 All the young people / students should
know about HIV/AIDS infection. (P) 60 28.3 1.7 3.3 6.7

28. 4 It is alright for women and men to have
premarital sexual relation. (N) 5 15 16.7 33.3 30
5 If one of my friends gets AIDS I shall
continue my normal social relationship 43.3 48.3 17 1.7 5
with here or her. (P)
6 Health education is necessary for
woman and men to have safe sex. (P) 58.3 25 5 1.7 10
7 AIDS is real treat of human population.
6.7 26.7 18.3 16.7 31.7
(N)
8 Knowing there is no cure for AIDS this is
no point in caring for AIDS patients. (N) 6.7 11.7 10 36.7 35
9 It is not good for married men and
woman to have extra marital sexual 45 20 3.3 15 16.7
relationship. (P)
10 AIDS awareness is one of the important
advices of parents for their children. (P) 55 33.3 3.3 1.7 6.7

29. 11 AIDS patient need live, support and
66.7 30 0 0 3.3
affection. (P)
12 Suggest AIDS suspected friends for
61.7 30 3.3 0 5
testing his or her blood. (P)
13 Peer group discussion about HIV/AIDS
is more effective for its prevention. (P) 53.3 41.7 1.7 0 3.3
14 Open discussion about HIV/AIDS
prevention can be done among 47.6 45 1.7 0 6.7
siblings. (P)
15 Major responsibility of adolescents is to
participate in HIV/AIDS prevention
56.7 35 1.7 0 6.7
programme to being community
awareness to control HIV/AIDS. (P)
16 If one of my family members gets AIDS
63.3 31.7 0 0 5
I will be ready to care him / her. (P)
17 A person of any age, race, sex or
occupation can contract HIV/AIDS. (P) 40 41.7 1.7 8.3 8.3
18 We should not tell others if one has
10 16.7 6.7 43.3 23.3
HIV/AIDS. (N)

30. 19 Individuals with HIV/AIDS infection
must be treated with love and
belonging. (P) 48.3 38.3 5 1.7 6.7
20 Individuals with HIV/AIDS infection
must be assessed for any potential 35 48.3 8.3 1.7 6.7
infection (P)
21 HIV/AIDS patient should be treated
properly. (P) 41.7 41.7 5 5 6.7
22 I feel that, counseling plays an
important role for an HIV/AIDS infected
clients. (P) 55 31.7 0 53 8.3
23 I am willing to assist with the delivery of
a baby born to a mother with HIV/AIDS. 33.3 48.3 6.7 5 6.7
(P)
24 I am willing to assist an operation on a
patient with HIV/AIDS. (P) 35 51.7 5 3.3 5

31. Conclusion:
• On the basis of findings, we can conclude
that there is not adequate knowledge about
HIV/AIDS and its pathogenesis.
• Only few nurses were aware about the
HIV/AIDS services available at BPKIHS
like: VCT, PMTCT, ART, HIV testing, CD-4
count, Counseling and other services.
• Regarding the transmission and prevention
of HIV/AIDS they have not sufficient
knowledge.

32. • There is negative attitude among few
nurses regarding HIV/AIDS may be due to
inadequate knowledge related to
HIV/AIDS.
• Hence, continuous in-service education on
HIV/AIDS management and care for
nurses working in BPKIHS is very
urgency.

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36. THANK-YOU
The Theme.
“Stop AIDS.
Keep the
Promise.”
2007
“Take leadership”
2008