[AIDS-related knowledge among nurses in Mie Prefecture, Japan].

Levels of understanding and knowledge regarding AIDS were investigated for medical personnel working at general hospitals with more than 100 beds in Mie Prefecture by means of a questionnaire during May to June, 1990. The questionnaire covered general knowledge of AIDS, psychological response, attitudes and actions taken toward infected persons, and societal countermeasures against AIDS. Responses from 1,516 nurses and assistant nurses were statistically investigated among medicare persons. Mass media was the major source of knowledge on AIDS for the nurses and assistant nurses. Level of understanding on AIDS, however, appeared to be rather low, which may be due to difficulty in obtaining accurate information on AIDS and also due to lack of motivation to study. The responses of nurses were more positive than for assistant nurses for action taken in hypothetical cases of infection to themselves, spouses or familiar persons. Similar differences were also shown in responses regarding societal countermeasures against the disease.