AIDS education for hospital workers in Manila : effects on knowledge, attitudes, and infection control practices

The objective of this study was to evaluate an AIDS education intervention for health workers in Metro Manila hospitals. A randomized controlled education program consisting of lectures role-plays posters and pamphlets was delivered to physicians nurses laboratory technologists and orderlies in Manila hospitals. KNowledge attitudes and infection control practices were measured before immediately after and 2 months following the intervention. Baseline survey among 641 hospital workers revealed poor knowledge negative attitudes toward AIDS patients and inappropriate infection control practices. Immediately after the intervention there was significant improvement in (1) knowledge scores (8.7-11.2 in the intervention group vs. 8.5-9.5 in the control group; range 0-14%; (2) attitude scores (54.4-60.6 vs. 54.6-57.8; range 22-88); and (3) needle-recapping practices (14-43% vs. 39- 43%) (all P values <0.001). After 2 months attitude scores in the experimental group fell to the same level as those of the control group while improvements in knowledge and needle recapping were largely maintained. Role-playing was considered by the participants to be the most effective component of the intervention. These results suggest that AIDS training for hospital workers in the Philippines and in similar countries is necessary and can be effective. Ideally such training should include role-playing and should be ongoing in order to sustain the effect. (authors)