AIDS education for medical technologists

Abstract

The epidemic spread of AIDS has focused attention on occupationally acquired HlV infections and although the risk of infection is known to be low, 28 caSes of aIV seroconversion have been documented in health-care workers in the absence of other known risk factors. It is ianportant that medical technologists perceive the relevance of this disease, as the prevention of HlV transmission in the laboratory is reliant upon the continual adherence to laboratory safety precautions. A science education. progra.mme was tested on 38 medical t.echnologists who were divided into two groups. The programme aimed to increase the knowledge of the medical· technologists about relevant scientific aspects of HIV infection and to stress the irtiportanceof laboratory safety. The results showed significant increases in the overall knowledge of the medical technologists in the fields of scient.ific knowledge, HIV diagnosis and laboratory safety practices. Significant changes in the perception of all the participants occurred in the area of laboratory safety. Perceptual. changes, such as a heightened awareness of AIDS and. a change in attitude towards p~ople with AIDS, occurred only in Group 1. These results indicate that the programme had increased the knowledge of medical technologists. However there is still room for improvement in certain areas and it is concluded that unless this education is continually reinforced the benefits will not be sustained.