HEPATITIS AND AIDS FEAR AND MISCONCEPTIONS;

ARE OUR STUDENTS READY FOR CONTACT WITH THESE PATIENTS?

Abstract

Introduction: Blood born infection is also one of the medical profession hazard which is added due to virus transmission by
needles and medical instruments and Hepatitis and HIV viruses are leading viruses in this hazard. Medical students who are actively
participating in clinical practices and due to contact with patients, face exposure of patient’s needles, instruments, and blood and this exposure
starts in clinical posting of third year when their clinical knowledge and professional skills are in early phases. Objective: To assess and
evaluate the existing level of knowledge about these blood born infections (Hepatitis B, C and AIDS) to ensure their participation in clinical
activities during their clinical posting. Design: An observational cross sectional study with prospective data. Setting: Dow International
Medical College. Period: from 2010 to 2011. Methodology: This is an observational cross sectional study with prospective data, done through a
questionnaire survey on third year MBBS students. Results: 47% of the students have fear about to be infected by patient’s examination during
clinical posting and majority of students have misconceptions about transmission of these infections. Students have more knowledge about
HIV compare to hepatitis but there is no relation in knowledge score and student’s fear as shown by p value of 0.3 and 0.73 for HBV and HIV but
for HCV (p= 0.035) during this study. Conclusions: Up to half of the students have fear to be infected by these infections during patient’s
examination and this perceived risk of infection is due to lack of knowledge and these misconceptions and attitude to these patients are the
sources to make them reluctant in active participation of clinical activities directly related to patient.