TY - JOUR
T1 - Reducing HIV stigma among nursing students : a brief intervention
AU - Shah, Shilpa M.
AU - Heylen, Elsa
AU - Srinivasan, Krishnamachari
AU - Perumpil, Sheeja
AU - Ekstrand, Maria L.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - HIV stigma can be devastating and is common among health care providers, particularly nurses. The objectives of this study were to (a) assess the acceptability and feasibility of a brief stigma-reduction curriculum among a convenience sample of Indian nursing students and (b) examine the preliminary effect of this curriculum on their knowledge, attitudes, and intent to discriminate. At baseline, 57% of students had at least one misconception about HIV transmission, 38% blamed people living with HIV for their infection, and 87% and 95% demonstrated intent to discriminate while dispensing medications and drawing blood, respectively. Following the curriculum, HIV-related knowledge increased while blame, endorsement of coercive policies, and intent to discriminate decreased significantly. In addition, more than 95% of participants described the curriculum as practice changing. This brief intervention resulted in decreased stigma levels and was also highly acceptable to the nursing students. Next steps include rigorous evaluation in a randomized controlled trial.
AB - HIV stigma can be devastating and is common among health care providers, particularly nurses. The objectives of this study were to (a) assess the acceptability and feasibility of a brief stigma-reduction curriculum among a convenience sample of Indian nursing students and (b) examine the preliminary effect of this curriculum on their knowledge, attitudes, and intent to discriminate. At baseline, 57% of students had at least one misconception about HIV transmission, 38% blamed people living with HIV for their infection, and 87% and 95% demonstrated intent to discriminate while dispensing medications and drawing blood, respectively. Following the curriculum, HIV-related knowledge increased while blame, endorsement of coercive policies, and intent to discriminate decreased significantly. In addition, more than 95% of participants described the curriculum as practice changing. This brief intervention resulted in decreased stigma levels and was also highly acceptable to the nursing students. Next steps include rigorous evaluation in a randomized controlled trial.
KW - HIV-positive persons
KW - nursing students
KW - stigma (social psychology)
UR - http://handle.westernsydney.edu.au:8081/1959.7/uws:41194
U2 - 10.1177/0193945914523685
DO - 10.1177/0193945914523685
M3 - Article
SN - 0193-9459
VL - 36
SP - 1323
EP - 1337
JO - Western Journal of Nursing Research
JF - Western Journal of Nursing Research
IS - 10
ER -