Knowledge ,attitude ,and practice towards HIV/AIDS among blood donors in KTH blood bank 28 July – 28 August 2008

Abstract

A hospital based, cross-sectional, descriptive study was undertaken among a group of blood donors in the setting of KTH blood bank to assess their knowledge attitude and practice towards human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A sample of 112 males of different age &socioeconomic groups formed the material for this study. Data was collected by well qualified questionnaire administered by personal interview technique. The study indicated that the general awareness about AIDS was very high, with 100% of the respondents having heard of AIDS and also identifying it as an important health problem in our country. Similarly ,a very high proportion of the subjects knew about the modes of transmission , especially sexual transmission(90%) though a much lesser proportion had the knowledge about transmission through blood and vertical transmission. A very large majority of the study population(80%) heard about HIV from media as well most of them think it is the most useful mean to educate people about HIV. The educational level of the participants appears to affect their knowledge and attitude towards human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection very much. the result s shows that the knowledge increases with the educational level table(1), for example only 33% of illiterate knew about sexual transmission whereas 100% of university educated knew about it, as well only 16% of illiterate knew about blood transmission whereas 87% of university educated knew it Table(2).the effect of the educational level is also apparent on the reaction towards HIV p.ts as 0% of illiterate though that they have normal rights &100% of them though that either they have to be isolated or they must be punished ;in comparison with university level 66% of them though that they have normal rights &the rest though that either they have to be isolated or they must be punished Table(4)