Document 0500
 DOCN  M9590500
 TI    Study of the knowledge, attitude of Egyptian health care workers towards
       occupational HIV infection.
 DT    9509
 AU    Faris R; Shouman A; Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University.
 SO    J Egypt Public Health Assoc. 1994;69(1-2):115-28. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/95294490
 AB    Acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was reported for the first
       time in Egypt in 1986. Up to March 1993, 60 cases were notified to the
       Ministry of Health and 359 were detected to be infected with human
       immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Most cases had acquired infection abroad
       through blood, blood products or sexual contact. The number of cases is
       continuously increasing. Fear and ignorance about HIV infection causes
       panic among health care workers (HCWs) whenever a case is discovered and
       needs medical care. We assessed the knowledge and attitude of 346 HCWs
       towards the probability of occupational HIV infection using a self
       administered questionnaire. The sample included physicians, surgeons,
       nurses, laboratory technicians and ambulance workers. 72.8% of HCWs
       believed that they are in great danger of acquiring AIDS through
       occupational exposure, whereas 0.6% thought that there was no danger.
       67% of HCWs had wrong ideas about transmission of HIV (toilet seats,
       droplet infection, touching patients). 83.5% mentioned that AIDS
       patients should be isolated in quarantine. The main source of
       information about AIDS was the television, radio and ordinary press.
       44.8% got their information from textbooks or scientific literature.
       95.4% felt the need for more information about infection and disease.
       The results show an urgent need to start a program of education of HCWs
       concerning the risk of occupational HIV infection and the measures of
       its prevention.
 DE    *Attitude of Health Personnel  Egypt  Human  HIV
       Infections/*TRANSMISSION  Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice  *Occupational
       Exposure/PREVENTION & CONTROL  Questionnaires  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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