AlMuzaini Anwar A A Y, Yahya Asmaa S Y S, Ellepola Arjuna N B, Sharma Prem N
Health Sciences Center, Faculty of Dentistry, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait.
Int Dent J. 2015 Apr;65(2):96-102. doi: 10.1111/idj.12136. Epub 2014 Oct 24.
Although several studies have been conducted to assess dentists' knowledge of and attitudes towards human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS), few have targeted dental assistants. The main aims of this study were to assess the knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS among dental assistants in Kuwait and to compare the knowledge and attitudes of dental assistants at Kuwait University Dental Center (KUDC) with those of dental assistants in Ministry of Health (MoH) hospitals. The secondary objective was to determine if any intervention was needed to provide more information to dental assistants on HIV/AIDS. A cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing questionnaires. The study sample included 85 dental assistants from each of KUDC and the MoH. The questionnaire included questions to assess the assistants' knowledge and attitude towards HIV/AIDS. Statistical data analysis was conducted using SPSS 20.0. Qualitative data were analysed using the Pearson chi-square text for any association or the Z-test for proportion to test the significance of differences. A total of 167 questionnaires were completed, returned and analysed. KUDC dental assistants were found to have significantly more knowledge about HIV/AIDS than their MoH counterparts, whereas the assistants at the MoH clinics displayed a more positive attitude towards patients with HIV/AIDS (P < 0.05). Although dental assistants at KUDC were more knowledgeable than those at the MoH clinics, there are still some misconceptions that need to be addressed, in addition to the negative attitudes displayed by some of the respondents. It would therefore be beneficial to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS patients through lectures, seminars and workshops targeting dental assistants.
尽管已经开展了多项研究来评估牙医对人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）/获得性免疫缺陷综合征（AIDS）的了解程度和态度，但针对牙科助理的研究却很少。本研究的主要目的是评估科威特牙科助理对HIV/AIDS的了解程度和态度，并比较科威特大学牙科中心（KUDC）的牙科助理与卫生部（MoH）医院牙科助理的知识水平和态度。次要目标是确定是否需要进行任何干预，以便为牙科助理提供更多关于HIV/AIDS的信息。通过发放问卷进行了一项横断面研究。研究样本包括来自KUDC和MoH各85名牙科助理。问卷包含评估助理对HIV/AIDS的知识和态度的问题。使用SPSS 20.0进行统计数据分析。定性数据使用Pearson卡方检验分析是否存在关联，或使用Z检验分析比例以检验差异的显著性。总共167份问卷被完成、回收并进行了分析。结果发现，KUDC的牙科助理对HIV/AIDS的了解明显多于卫生部的同行，而卫生部诊所的助理对HIV/AIDS患者表现出更积极的态度（P < 0.05）。尽管KUDC的牙科助理比卫生部诊所的助理知识更丰富，但除了一些受访者表现出的消极态度外，仍有一些误解需要解决。因此，通过针对牙科助理的讲座、研讨会和工作坊来提高对HIV/AIDS患者的认识将是有益的。
