1. Knowledge about HIV Infection and
Attitude towards People Living with
HIV/AIDS among the Nurses Working
in BPKIHS
Mehta RS, Karki P, Rijal S
B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences

2. Introduction
Everybody is at
risk of getting HIV.
However certain
Persons have high
risk.

3. Some Facts about HIV/AIDS
• 4th biggest killer world wide
• More than 95 % cases in low & middle
income countries
• Symptom free period up to 10 years or
More
• HIV transmission is 10 times more on STIs
• ART Cost: very expensive

4. • About 1/3 are aged 15-24 years
• Most people do not know they are infected
• Gravity of Different mode of Transmission:
* Sexual intercourse
= 80-90 %
* Blood Transfusion
= 3-15 %
* Injecting Drug users
= 5 -10 %
* Equipments/Needles = < 0.1 %
* Perinatal
= 0.1%

5. HIV positive to AIDS
– 33 % = Only develop AIDS
– 64 % = Till death live without
Symptoms
– 5-10- 20 yrs = A symptomatic
Concentrated epidemic:
Sex workers (4%), Migrant Population (4-10%) &
IVDUs(51%)

6. No of Reported Cases
( HIV Infection)
1st case in Nepal --July 1988
Since then increasing
1988 - 4
1992 - 77
1996 - 135
2000 - 700
2004 - 4442
2007 - 10546 Dec.15th

7. Objectives:
The main objective of this study
was to find out the knowledge
about HIV infection and explore
the attitude of nurses towards the
PLWHA working in BPKIHS.

8. Research Design and Methodology:
• Descriptive cross-sectional study
• Conducted among the nurses (Staff
Nurses & ANMs)
• Using stratified random sampling
method the wards were selected
• Using population proportionate
method the nurses were selected

9. • Total 60 nurses were involved in the
study out of 240 nurses
• The nurses working in Psychiatric and
Maternity units were excluded from
the study.
• The data was collected during the first
week of October 2007.
• The collected data was entered in
SPSS software package and
analyzed.

10. Results:
Demographic profile of the subjects:
• Out of 60 nurses 60 % were
below 25 years and only 8.3%
were of age group of 30-35
Years.
• The mean age was 24.8 years
with SD 3.88 and range 20-35
years.

11. • Majority of them (91.7%) were Hindu,
Staff Nurses (78.3%), Unmarried
(63.3%), from villages (71.7%),
cared the admitted AIDS patients in
ward(68.3%), not taken HIV/AIDS
training previously (100%), and
belongs to Sunsari(25%), Morang
(15%) and Kathmandu (10%)
districts.

12. Knowledge Profile of the
subjects:

13. Table-I
Knowledge Profile of the Subjects about HIV/AIDS (n=60)
SN
Knowledge Profile about HIV/AIDS
Percentage Score
1 What is AIDS?
a. Life threatening disease
61.7
b. Preventable disease
11.7
c. Contagious disease
16.7
d. I do not know
2 Causes of AIDS
10
a. Bacteria
13.3
b. HIV virus
86.7
c. Mosquito
0
d. I do not know
0

14. Table-I (continue)
3
Risk of getting HIV/AIDS
A. High risk
70
b. May be
c. No risk
4
28.3
1.7
Cared the Patients with AIDS
a. Yes ( Cared)
68.3
b. No ( Not Cared)
37.7

15. 80
45
b. No
28.3
c. Do not know/Not sure
7
HIV infection is diagnosed by blood test
Knowledge about confirmation of by lab test
a. Yes
5
6
26.7
HIV virus is found in
a. Saliva and tears
b. Blood
83.7
c. Semen/Vaginal Secretion
8
9
8.3
76.7
T-Lymphocytes damaged by HIV virus
HIV/AIDS is a communicable disease
68.3
a. yes (communicable)
b. No (non-communicable)
78.3
10
c. Do not know
11.7

16. Ways of Transmission of HIV/AIDS
a. shaking hands, hugging, kissing
b. Eating from same plate
c. If one is transfused with HIV positive blood.
d. Making tattoos on the body
30
13.3
90
58.3
e. Children born to HIV infected mothers
75
f. By the bite of mosquito
25
g. Using common syringes
78.3
h. Sharing utensils and clothes
21.7

17. 11 Symptoms of HIV/AIDS
a. Anorexia/Wt. Loss
90
b. Fatigue/Weakness
70
c. Pain
6.7
d. Shortness of Breath
26.7
e. Nausea/Vomiting
f. Cough
20
26.7
g. Anxiety/Depression
55
h. Skin Breakdown
15
i. Diarrhoea
80
j. Confusion/Dementia
8.3
k. Constipation
20
l. Fever
25
12 HIV virus survive in body fluids inside living human body
63.3
13 HIV/AIDS is a curable disease
8.3

19. Table- II
Knowledge about prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS (n=60)
SN
Knowledge Profile (+ Responses)
Percentage
Score
(%)
1
Applying the principles of Universal Precautions
98.3
2
Use and administer blood and blood products only after
screening
86.7
3
Not touching the infected person
18.3
4
Not sharing the needles, razors and blades
90
5
Not to conceive if one has HIV/AIDS
75
6
Practice safe sex
91.7

20. 7
Be faithful to the partners
80
8
Heared about the term highly active anti-retroviral
therapy ( HAART) ( yes)
36.7
9
AIDS patients are more prone to develop opportunistic
illness ( yes)
60
10 Vaccine is available against HIV (yes)
25
11 Knowledge about post exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
45
12 Bleaching/Chlorine is used to clean blood spillage on
surface ( Yes)
80
13 Linen of AIDS patients should be send to laundry only after
disinfection on in chlorine/bleaching (yes)
73.3
14 Using condom during sex
98.3
15 Having no sexual relationship with multiple partners
91.7

21. 16 Having sex with single faithful husband and wife
95
17 Avoiding homosexual activities
86.7
18 Not having sex with commercial sex workers
83.3
19 Receiving safe blood transfusion
100
20 Using of disposable or sterilized syringe only
96.7
21 Avoid to use common syringe by intravenous drug abuser
96.7

23. Table- III
Extent of knowledge about HIV/AIDS Related
services available at BPKIHS (n=60)
SN
1
Knowledge Profile
VCT services
a. Adequate
b. Inadequate
c. Not at all
2
Percentage Score
8.3
15
76.7
PMTCT services
a. Adequate
b. Inadequate
3
13.3
13.3
c. Not at all
ART services
73.4
a. Adequate
8.3
b. Inadequate
c. Not at all
10
81.7

24. 4
STIs/IDCs/OIs clinics
a. Adequate
b. Inadequate
16.7
c. Not at all
5
11.7
71.7
CD -4 count test
a. Adequate
13.3
b. Inadequate
11.7
c. Not at all
6
75
HIV test
a. Adequate
53.3
b. Inadequate
25
c. Not at all
21.7

25. 7
ART Drug availability
a. Adequate
21.7
b. Inadequate
23.3
c. Not at all
8
55
PEP services
a. Adequate
b. Inadequate
26.7
c. Not at all
9
15
58.3
Infection control protocol of BPKIHS
a. Adequate
36.7
b. Inadequate
28.3
c. Not at all
35

27. Table – IV
Attitude among the nurses towards People Living with
AIDS (P=positive & N=negative) (n=60)
Strongly
Disagree
(%)
3
Disagree
(%)
2
Uncertain
(%)
1
AIDS is caused by curse of God.
(N)
3.3
5
1.7
11.7
783.
Person affected should not be
allowed to stay in community. (N)
5
5
3.3
21.7
65
All the young people / students should
know about HIV/AIDS infection. (P)
60
28.3
1.7
3.3
6.7
Attitude
Agree
(%)
Strongly
Agree
(%)
S
N

28. 4
5
6
It is alright for women and men to have
premarital sexual relation. (N)
If one of my friends gets AIDS I shall
continue my normal social relationship
with here or her. (P)
Health education is necessary for
woman and men to have safe sex. (P)
7
AIDS is real treat of human population.
(N)
8
Knowing there is no cure for AIDS this is
no point in caring for AIDS patients. (N)
9
10
It is not good for married men and
woman to have extra marital sexual
relationship. (P)
AIDS awareness is one of the important
advices of parents for their children. (P)
5
15
16.7
33.3
30
43.3
48.3
17
1.7
5
58.3
25
5
1.7
10
6.7
26.7
18.3
16.7
31.7
6.7
11.7
10
36.7
35
45
20
3.3
15
16.7
55
33.3
3.3
1.7
6.7

29. 11
AIDS patient need live, support and
affection. (P)
66.7
30
0
0
3.3
12
Suggest AIDS suspected friends for
testing his or her blood. (P)
61.7
30
3.3
0
5
13
Peer group discussion about HIV/AIDS
is more effective for its prevention. (P)
53.3
41.7
1.7
0
3.3
Open discussion about HIV/AIDS
prevention can be done among
siblings. (P)
47.6
45
1.7
0
6.7
Major responsibility of adolescents is to
participate in HIV/AIDS prevention
programme to being community
awareness to control HIV/AIDS. (P)
56.7
35
1.7
0
6.7
16
If one of my family members gets AIDS
I will be ready to care him / her. (P)
63.3
31.7
0
0
5
17
A person of any age, race, sex or
occupation can contract HIV/AIDS. (P)
40
41.7
1.7
8.3
8.3
10
16.7
6.7
43.3
23.3
14
15
18
We should not tell others if one has
HIV/AIDS. (N)

30. 19
20
21
22
23
24
Individuals with HIV/AIDS infection
must be treated with love and
belonging. (P)
Individuals with HIV/AIDS infection
must be assessed for any potential
infection (P)
HIV/AIDS patient should be treated
properly. (P)
I feel that, counseling plays an
important role for an HIV/AIDS infected
clients. (P)
I am willing to assist with the delivery of
a baby born to a mother with HIV/AIDS.
(P)
I am willing to assist an operation on a
patient with HIV/AIDS. (P)
48.3
38.3
5
1.7
6.7
35
48.3
8.3
1.7
6.7
41.7
41.7
5
5
6.7
55
31.7
0
53
8.3
33.3
48.3
6.7
5
6.7
35
51.7
5
3.3
5

31. Conclusion:
• On the basis of findings, we can conclude
that there is not adequate knowledge about
HIV/AIDS and its pathogenesis.
• Only few nurses were aware about the
HIV/AIDS services available at BPKIHS
like: VCT, PMTCT, ART, HIV testing, CD-4
count, Counseling and other services.
• Regarding the transmission and prevention
of HIV/AIDS they have not sufficient
knowledge.

32. • There is negative attitude among few
nurses regarding HIV/AIDS may be due to
inadequate knowledge related to
HIV/AIDS.
• Hence, continuous in-service education on
HIV/AIDS management and care for
nurses working in BPKIHS is very
urgency.

34. References:
•
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36. THANK-YOU
The Theme.
“Stop AIDS.
Keep the
Promise.”
2007
“Take leadership”
2008