HIV/AIDS-Associated Knowledge and Attitudes towards Treating Disadvantaged Communities among Pre-Community-Based Dental Education Dental Students in the U.S

Aditi Tomar (), Hannah Balcezak, Shirley Lewis Miranda, Marie C. Latortue, Richa Chinchkhandi and Lisa Wigfall
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Aditi Tomar: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Hannah Balcezak: UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, Houston, TX 77054, USA
Shirley Lewis Miranda: Texas A&M School of Dentistry, Dallas, TX 75246, USA
Marie C. Latortue: UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, Houston, TX 77054, USA
Richa Chinchkhandi: Texas A&M School of Public Health, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Lisa Wigfall: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: This study examines HIV/AIDS-associated knowledge and attitudes towards treating disadvantaged communities among predoctoral dental students in U.S. dental schools who have not yet commenced their Community-Based Dental Education (CBDE) training. It also compares the difference in the knowledge and attitudes between students with reported community engagement with PLWHA and those without. Our study comprised 89 predoctoral dental students within their D1–D3 years of dental school who had not yet initiated their Community-Based Dental Education (referred to as pre-CBDE dental students). Their responses were collected via an online survey. The participants were 68% females, 94% heterosexual, and with a mean age (years) of 25.9 ± 3.5 SD. The majority (62%) were in their first (D1) and second (D2) years of dental education. Of the thirty knowledge questions, only five received a minimum of 90% correct responses. Similarly, we found no statistical differences in most of the knowledge/attitude sections between those with and without prior PLWHA exposure. Encouragingly, 90% of our participants reported prior experience working with disadvantaged communities. Early community engagement fosters a sense of professional responsibility towards administering dental care to disadvantaged communities and we propose that it must be encouraged among aspiring dental school students.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS; community-based dental education (CBDE); people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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