The relationship between knowledge, attitudes and degree of contact with AIDS and HIV

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and degree of contact with AIDS and HIV for three groups of people: nurses, psychology students and design students using a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire differentiated between the groups on all three dimensions with nurses having most knowledge but least positive attitudes. There was no relationship between knowledge and attitudes for the three groups although contact and knowledge were related for the design students and attitudes and contact were related for the psychology students. For all groups the strongest relationship was between attitudes and contact. The implications of the results for training courses are discussed.