HIV/Aids awareness among first year pharmacy students and the role of the university

Bibliographic Data

ID2640179
AuthorsSelente Bezuidenhout (0000-0003-1198-7878, University of Limpopo, corresponding author), Rob Summers (University of Limpopo)
Year2007
Volume3
Issue2
Publication date2007-04-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1817-4434 • E-ISSN: 2415-2005
PublisherAOSIS (PUBLISHER • ZA)
DOI10.4102/td.v3i2.330
OpenAlexW2254908659
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited1

As HIV/AIDS continues to spread and affect the lives of millions of people, a sense of urgency has developed about the imperative need to stop the epidemic. Education is the key to change knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. There is currently a gap in educationprogrammes targeting youths of ages 18-24 years, for example, those enrolled in tertiary institutions. The aim of the study was therefore to establish the level of HIV/AIDS awareness among undergraduate pharmacy students at the University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus)/ Tshwane University of Technology Schools of Pharmacy. A structured questionnaire was administered to pharmacy students on entry to the programme. Although the students of 2003, 2004 and 2005 obtained mean percentage HIV/AIDS awareness scores in the range of 70%-80%, they had inadequate knowledge of some transmission routes, events that occur when HIV invades the body, the 'window period' and some symptoms. These knowledge gaps should be addressed by universities by integrating HIV/AIDS policies and education fully into all aspects of their planning, operations andteaching

Family medicine · Higher education · Medical education · Pharmacy education · Pharmacy practice · Political science · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · HIV/AIDS Impact and Responses · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Psychology · Pharmacy