An evaluation of pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes and risk perceptions about HIV/AIDS

Background: Despite considerable progress in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) remain major public health issues in Saudi Arabia. Pharmacists must possess adequate knowledge and professional attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in pharmacy practice. This study aimed to examine pharmacy students' level of HIV knowledge, their attitudes toward people living with HIV/ AIDS (PLWHA), and their risk perceptions when providing services to PLWHA. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey tool was developed and administered to pharmacy students during their final academic year at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia. Descriptive and Pearson's Chi-Square Test or Fisher's Exact Test as appropriate, were performed to find the difference with a p-value of 0.05. Results: A total of 130 pharmacy students responded to the questionnaire (89.6% response rate). While descriptive results showed students' knowledge about HIV/AIDS was low (the mean knowledge score was 8.22 out of 15). Post-exposure prophylaxis was only known by 36.2% of pharmacy students, and the time it takes HIV to become AIDS was only known by 11.5%. More than half of the students (60.8%) did not realize that antivirals could not treat HIV/AIDS. Only 18.5% of students agreed they could counsel and treat HIV-positive people. A survey of pharmacy students found that 46.2% believed that they did not receive enough education on working with PLWHA in a safe and responsible manner, and 20% were unwilling to assist PLWHA. Among pharmacy students, 54.6% recommended HIV testing for healthcare professionals and 53.9% for patients before surgery. Conclusion: The study highlighted inadequate students' knowledge, modest attitudes, and negative risk perceptions toward HIV/AIDS. Saudi Arabian educational institutions and health care planners should perform educational interventions to enhance HIV/AIDS understanding among healthcare students.