Attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS through the EAPVVS-E: A descriptive analysis in nursing students

• Published in: Nurse education today 2025-01, Vol.144, p.106418, Article 106418
• Main Authors: Gázquez-López, María, Álvarez-Serrano, María Adelaida, Martín-Salvador, Adelina, Pérez-Morente, María Ángeles, García-García, Inmaculada, González-García, Alberto, Martínez-García, Encarnación
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - psychology; Adult; Attitude; Attitude of Health Personnel; Cross-Sectional Studies; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; Female; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV/AIDS; Humans; Male; Nursing students; Social discrimination; Social Stigma; Spain; Students, Nursing - psychology; Students, Nursing - statistics & numerical data; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0260-6917; 1532-2793; 1532-2793
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2024.106418

Despite advances in antiretroviral treatment, stigma towards people with HIV/AIDS continues to exist. Nursing students, as future key players in health care, must advocate for the elimination of stigma through education, empathy and the creation of a supportive environment. This holistic approach is crucial to improving their quality of life and moving towards the eradication of HIV/AIDS. To identify nursing students' attitudes towards people living with HIV or AIDS and their relationship with sociodemographic and academic-cultural variables of the participants. A cross-sectional study was performed. The research was carried out in the Nursing Degree of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Ceuta Campus of the University of Granada. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 284 students of the degree in Nursing. Data were collected voluntarily and on an anonymous basis, using the “Attitudes Towards People Living with HIV/AIDS Scale in Nursing Students”. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Factors 1 (Professional Practice), 2 (Social Integration) and 3 (Partner and Family) exhibited mean scores considered to be favourable attitudes (>4 points). In contrast, Factor 4, called Benevolent Stigma, had a mean score of 3.68 ± 0.97. Religious beliefs, academic year, sexual orientation, academic practices and age are considered influential variables in the different factors. Nursing students present attitudes with favourable scores. However, these results highlight the importance of influencing the different factors, especially in the second year of the Bachelor's Degree in Nursing in our sample. Thus, an educational intervention in this area would be necessary to reinforce the values of humanised care. •Favourable attitude towards people living with HIV or AIDS plays a crucial role for humanised and quality care.•The EAPVVS-E identifies 4 key areas for educational intervention to enhance the humanized care of people with HIV or AIDS.•Benevolent stigma is prevalent among nursing students and is highlighted as an area for intervention.