Health Workers and AIDS: Knowledge, Attitudes and Experiences as Determinants of Anxiety

TY - JOUR

T1 - Health Workers and AIDS

T2 - Knowledge, Attitudes and Experiences as Determinants of Anxiety

AU - Krasnik, Allan

AU - Fouchard, Jan R.

AU - Bayer, Thomas

AU - Keiding, Niels

PY - 1990/6/1

Y1 - 1990/6/1

N2 - The objective of the study was to measure the level of HIV/AIDS related anxiety among health care workers and identify its determinants. Data were obtained by means of a mailed, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire distributed to 2561 Danish medical doctors, nurses and nursing aides drawn randomly from the lists of members of the respective national associations. The data were analysed on the basis of a pre-study model including 12 variables hypothesizing a hierarchy of causal dependencies with anxiety at the top. 44% of the participants expressed HIV/AIDS related anxiety — hospital workers more than primary care workers, the older less than the younger. Anxiety was significantly associated with negative/restrictive attitudes towards HIV positives and gay men and with low levels of knowledge about HIV transmission and less education about HIV/AIDS. Negative/restrictive attitudes towards HIV positives were associated both with less knowledge regarding HIV transmission and fewer contacts with HIV positives. Similar associations were found regarding gay men. It is suggested that new kinds of training programmes be established which focus much more on attitudes and norms concerning HIV/AIDS — especially among health care workers with only occasional contact with HIV patients.

AB - The objective of the study was to measure the level of HIV/AIDS related anxiety among health care workers and identify its determinants. Data were obtained by means of a mailed, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire distributed to 2561 Danish medical doctors, nurses and nursing aides drawn randomly from the lists of members of the respective national associations. The data were analysed on the basis of a pre-study model including 12 variables hypothesizing a hierarchy of causal dependencies with anxiety at the top. 44% of the participants expressed HIV/AIDS related anxiety — hospital workers more than primary care workers, the older less than the younger. Anxiety was significantly associated with negative/restrictive attitudes towards HIV positives and gay men and with low levels of knowledge about HIV transmission and less education about HIV/AIDS. Negative/restrictive attitudes towards HIV positives were associated both with less knowledge regarding HIV transmission and fewer contacts with HIV positives. Similar associations were found regarding gay men. It is suggested that new kinds of training programmes be established which focus much more on attitudes and norms concerning HIV/AIDS — especially among health care workers with only occasional contact with HIV patients.

KW - acquired immune deficiency syndrome

KW - anxiety

KW - attitude

KW - epidemiology

KW - health care system

KW - health practitioner

KW - homosexuality

KW - human immunodeficiency virus

KW - information

KW - knowledge

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84964185126&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/140349489001800204

DO - 10.1177/140349489001800204

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 2367820

AN - SCOPUS:84964185126

SN - 1403-4956

VL - 18

SP - 103

EP - 113

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Supplement

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Supplement

IS - 2

ER -