International Journal of Caring Sciences 2012 January-April Vol 5 Issue 1 www.inernationaljournalofcaringscienes.org 56 O R I G I N A L P A P E R Effects of Planned HIV/AIDS Education on Attitudes towards AIDS in Beginning Level Nursing Students Neriman Akansel, PhD,RN Assistant Professor in Surgical Nursing, Uludag University School of Health, Department of Nursing, Gorukle Campus, Bursa Nursel Aydin, Msc, RN Lecturer in Surgical Nursing Uludag University School of Health, Department of Nursing, Gorukle Campus, Bursa, Turkey Aysel Özdemir, Msc, RN Lecturer in Public Health Nursing, Uludag University School of Health, Department of Nursing, Gorukle Campus, Bursa, Turkey Okan Töre Professor, MD Professor in Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Uludag University Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Gorukle Campus, Bursa, Turkey Correspondence: Neriman Akansel, PhD, RN, Uludag University School of Health Department of Nursing 16059 Gorukle Campus, Bursa, e-mail:nakansel@uludag.edu.tr Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study is to describe nursing students’ knowledge and attitudes towards people with AIDS and determine effects of planned education on perceptions of students towards AIDS. Sample: The sample of this study consisted of first year undergraduate nursing students (n=88). Data were collected using a questionnaire; related to socio demographic variables, sources of knowledge about HIV/ AIDS and the ways of AIDS transmission, willingness of students to provide care for patients with AIDS. Attitude Scale (AAS) was used to determine attitudes of students towards AIDS. Results: Close to half of the students believed that taking care of AIDS patients makes their job high risk occupation and they also feel angry to homosexuals because they increase the risk of AIDS. Getting infected is one of the biggest fears of nursing students while caring AIDS patients (67%). Although introduction of education did not change nursing students’ intentions to give care for AIDS patients, statistical differences were found on students’ level of knowledge about AIDS after education (p <0.001). Conclusion and implications Findings of this study have strong implications in methods used for AIDS education and need for special and detailed education program on AIDS. Keywords: Nursing students, attitude, education, AIDS Introduction HIV infection and AIDS (HIV/AIDS) have emerged as one of the most serious public health problems in the world. HIV/AIDS is responsible for the 1 % of deaths that occur all around the world. It is known that 42 million people got infected with HIV and 27 million people died because of AIDS during the last 20 years. It is expected that deaths from AIDS will reach to 100 million in the next 25 years if effective prevention methods are not used (Çilingiroğlu, 2003). The number of HIV cases increased rapidly since the first AIDS case detected in Turkey in 1985. According to Turkish Health Statistics Bureau, only two cases were documented in the year of 1985. From 1985 to 2005, a total of 2254 cases were reported in Turkey (588 AIDS patients, 1666 HIV infected patients).This number increased to 3175 patients (682 AIDS patients and 2493 HIV infected patients) by the year of June 2008 in (Turkey Turkish Health Statistics Bureau,2006 and 2009). This tremendous increase in HIV /AIDS patients