Attitudes of Australian physiotherapy students towards AIDS

Authors

Heidi Gilchrist, University of WollongongFollow
Gerard Sullivan, University of Sydney
Robert Heard, University of Sydney,

RIS ID

29257

Publication Details

Gilchrist, H., Sullivan, G. & Heard, R. (1997). Attitudes of Australian physiotherapy students towards AIDS. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice: an international journal of physical therapy, 13 (4), 265-278.

Abstract

The aims of this study were to determine (1) the attitudes of Australian physiotherapy students towards AIDS, (2) correlates of these attitudes, and (3) if an AIDS education programme would result in attitude change. A random sample of 55 final-year physiotherapy students at the University of Sydney voluntarily completed a survey anonymously before and after a series of lectures about AIDS. Negative attitudes regarding AIDS and treating people living with AIDS were common. This may result in poor health care for people with AIDS and stress for physiotherapists. The lecture series had no effect on students’ knowledge or attitudes about AIDS, indicating that it needs to be redesigned if it is to be effective in changing students’ attitudes to AIDS.