Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dental Students in Yazd University of Dental School about HIV and Hepatitis in 2019-2020

Healthcare workers, including dental students are at risk of transmission of blood-borne infections like Hepatitis and AIDS because of their continuous contact with blood and other body fluids. Thus it is necessary for them to achieve enough knowledge, proper attitude and right behavior regarding to these diseases through efficient training so they can treat infected patients, which is their ethical and legal duty. The present study was designed to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice of dental students in School of Dentistry, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences about HIV and Hepatitis in 2019-2020.

This observational-descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 188 4th, 5th and 6th year dental students of Yazd Faculty of Dentistry, 170 of whom completed the questionnaire. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire including two parts of demographic information and knowledge, attitude and performance questions; data were analyzed using T-Test, ANOVA and chi-score tests and SPSS version 16.

The mean score of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding hepatitis and AIDS was 20/77 (out of 30), 32/04 (out of 45) and 46/17 (out of 52), respectively. The students had low knowledge level about prophylaxis treatments after needlestick injuries and screening tests. They also had poor attitude towards treating the infected patients. There was a significant difference in practice between males and females. (P-value<0.05).

Dental students performed well in relation to hepatitis and AIDS diseases despite their average knowledge and attitude. Thus there should be an emphasis on knowledge improvement and attitude alternation in Yazd Faculty of Dentistry.