The knowledge and behavior of the coiffeurs about AIDS in Samsun

Abstract

Since its recognition in 1981 and virus definition in 1983, AIDS is a fatal disease that spreading rapidly in the world and also in Turkey. This study aimed to determine the knowledge level and professional attitude of coiffeurs who are at risk because of their profession about HIV/AIDS. Questionnaire form about HIV/AIDS was applied to 271 woman and man coiffeurs in Samsun on March, 4-8, 1996 and according to the true answers in 23 questions, notes were calculated for each coiffeur. 47.3% of coiffeurs were literate and graduated primary school and 52.7% of them took place in more higher education. The mean working period in profession was found as 12.43 ± 0.63 years. 52.3% of them were aware that there was no effective treatment in AIDS and 43.8% were aware of the knowledge that there was no vaccine for prevention of AIDS. The proportion of having true answers in questions about AIDS was 70.1% and 29.9% of them had false or incomplete knowledge. It was determined that 4.7% of coiffeurs were using sterilizer, 47.8% were placing equipment in colonge-zefiran or chlorine solution, 17.1% were making boiling, 14.8% were using hot water and 8.2% were making nothing to disinfect equipment. Results in the study demonstrate that common and continuous health education to the groups especially at risk for HIV/AIDS will be convenient.