Knowledge and attitudes of pharmacy students towards human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can impact attitude towards patients with HIV by health care providers and the level of confidence the provider has in their ability to care for patients with HIV. A survey of general knowledge of HIV and feelings about providing care to patients with HIV was administered to pharmacy students at the McWhorter School of Pharmacy (MSOP) at Samford University. The survey was re-administered to the third-year students after the HIV lecture series in their Therapeutics course. There were misconceptions among students regarding routes of transmission of HIV. Those students who had these misconceptions also thought that patients with HIV should be treated separately from others. MOP students also report a lack of confidence in treating HIV patients and worried that they would contract the virus from a patient. Third-year students reported they had a better ability to provide care to a patient with HIV after their lecture series. Even among pharmacy students, there is some lack of knowledge and misconceptions about HIV. Further education is warranted to develop knowledge and change attitudes.