Table 1

Baseline demographic information (part A) and experiences (part B) of the participants

Clinicians (n=75)Nurses (n=211)Medical students (n=205)Nursing students (n=123)DMLT students (n=36)
Part A: Baseline demographic information
Age, mean (SD)28 (4)25 (6)20 (1)21 (3)20 (2)
Sex, n (%)
Male30 (40)148 (70)109 (53)51 (41)28 (78)
Female45 (60)63 (30)96 (47)72 (59)8 (22)
Married, n (%)21 (28)70 (33)11 (9)35 (97)
Religion, n (%)
Hindu62 (83)192 (91)183 (89)120 (98)31
Muslim2 (3)5 (2)6 (3)3 (2.4)4
Christian2 (3)10 (5)1 (0.5) –
Other9 (12)4 (2)15 (7) –2
Have you ever attended any HIV/AIDS-related training? Yes, n (%)3 (4)39 (18)63 (31)28 (23)28 (78)
Part B: Experiences of participants
Have you ever cared for PLWHA before?
Yes, n (%)
37 (49)121 (57)4 (2)88 (72)18 (50)
If yes, how many times have you cared for PLWHA?
Less than 10 times29 (78)59 (49)2 (50)61 (69)5 (28)
Less than 50 times2 (5)27 (22)14 (20)8 (44)
More than 100 times1 (3)19 (16)5 (28)
Cannot recall the numbers/too many16 (13)2 (50)13 (15) –
§Have you ever had an accidental exposure with body fluid of PLWHA, at work? Yes, n (%)*4 (11)24 (20)3 (75)14 (16)1 (6)
Have you ever refused to care for PLWHA? Yes, n (%)6 (8)18 (9)6 (3)6 (5)4 (11)
Have you discriminated against PLWHA at the workplace? Yes, n (%)7 (9)42 (20)22 (11)13 (11)5 (19)
Do you think your colleagues discriminate against PLWHA? Yes, n (%)21 (28)45 (21)51 (25)28 (23)6 (17)
Is your family aware that you ought to care for PLWHA patients as well? Yes, n (%)49 (65)134 (64)127 (62)100 (81)16 (72)
Is there any family pressure regarding caring for PLWHA? Yes, n (%)15 (20)46 (22)16 (8)15 (12)8 (22)
Do you have any friend or family who is identified as PLWHA? Yes, n (%)3 (4)16 (8)3 (2)5 (4)2 (6)
There is enough equipment to maintain universal precautions at workplace. Yes, n (%)20 (27)126 (60)79 (39)84 (68)19 (53)
Have you ever had any accidental exposure to HIV through PLWHA at work? Yes, n (%)4 (5)24 (11)3 (1)14 (11)1 (3)
  • Yes, n (%) is the proportion of the participants who responded ‘Yes’ to the questions asked.

  • The variables where totals do not add up to 100%, the remaining percentage of the participants did not respond to that question.

  • *Proportion calculated from patients who confirmed that they have ever cared for PLWHA.

  • DMLT, students of Diploma in Medical and Laboratory Technology; PLWHA, people living with HIV/AIDS; Medical students/ MBBS students, students of Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery.