Knowledge on HIV transmission and attitude towards providing care for people living with HIV (PLWHA) and adherence to univer sal precautions (UP) among attendants in the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL)

Knowledge on HIV Transmission and attitude towards providing care for people living with HIV (PLWHA) and adherence to universal precautions (UP) among attendants in the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL)

Nanayakkara G A G 1, Karawita D A2

Abstract

Introduction: HIV transmission knowledge, misconceptions in the society and adherence to universal precautions directly attribute to handling of PLWHIV by healthcare workers. This study was done to assess the knowledge on HIV transmission and attitudes towards PLWHIV ,Knowledge on Universal Precautions and the adherence in work place among attendants working in the NHSL.

Objectives:

Methods: Descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 224 randomly selected sample of health attendants. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used for data collection which included assessments for HIV transmission knowledge (score 0-10), knowledge on universal precautions (score 0-9) and attitudes towards PLWHIV (score 0-8), final scores were computed to percentage values. Data were analysed using SPSS v23.

Results: Mean age of the participants was 42 years (SD=10.41)and majority (66%) were married males. Most of them (60.3 %) had less than 10 years of working experience. A significant number had already given care to an HIV infected (65.2%). Mean values for “HIV transmission knowledge”, “adherence to Universal precautions”, and “positive attitudes for HIV care” were 84%, 40% and 70% respectively. Increased service duration significantly reduced both HIV transmission knowledge (r=-0.142: p<0.001) and knowledge on universal precautions(r=-0.299: p<0.001). Furthermore, increasing age also, was negatively associated with knowledge on UP (r=-0.393: p<0.001).

Conclusions: Knowledge on HIV transmission, and positive attitude for HIV care was over 70% but adherence to universal precautions was only 40%. Increasing service duration reduce the HIV transmission knowledge and Knowledge on UP. Regular updating of knowledge regarding HIV transmission ,and on UP by in-service programme should be done and special attention should be paid on the attendants in the elderly age group who have longer service duration.

Key Words: Knowledge, HIV, Attendants, attitudes