Preparedness, attitudes, and risk perceptions of future pharmacists regarding HIV/AIDS: A cross-sectional study from Pakistan

Background: The World Health Organisation (WHO) aims to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, sparking ongoing debates about pharmacists' increased involvement in providing care to HIV-affected individuals. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and risk perceptions related to HIV/AIDS among final-year pharmacy students to determine whether they are adequately trained to elevate HIV prevention and management to the next level. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 among 309 pharmacy students at different private universities in Pakistan located in Islamabad and Rawalpindi using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS v.23. Results: More than half of the sample had poor knowledge related to HIV. Only 26.2% of the students knew about diagnosing AIDS. Regarding attitudes, less than 20% of participants strongly agreed that a Pharm.D. student can counsel an HIV/AIDS patient, while 25% were hesitant to do volunteer work with HIV patients. Only around 50% of the participants agreed that HIV transmission could be prevented by using safety measures. Conclusion: This study found that future pharmacists are not prepared, as the majority had poor knowledge of HIV/AIDS, varying by sex and institution. Attitudes towards patient care differed, but risk perceptions were satisfactory. Involving community pharmacists can help prevent HIV transmission through proactive measures.