The Impact of Group Discussion and Film on Promoting Knowledge and Attitudes about HIV/AIDS in Medical University Students: A Comparing Study

AIDS as an important health problem has been received more attention by social, political and health managers in the world. According to WHO education is the only way of fighting AIDS. Almost all educational interventions, lead to significant changes on Knowledge and attitudes toward AIDS by the subjects. Different methods have of course different influences. The present study is going to determine the rate of influencing two techniques, group discussion and film, on promoting Knowledge and attitudes toward AIDS, by the students of a medical university affiliated to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. The present study is a randomized semi-experimental survey conducted among students attending in faculties of health, nursing and medicine in a medical university affiliated to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Based on the formula of sample size, 80 volunteer students have been randomly selected. By doing pre-test and giving the results of primary exam, the study population was divided into two sections including 40 subjects with almost same levels of Knowledge and attitudes. Educational intervention was done in two groups. To avoid of bias, immediately following the interventions, a post-test was conducted. Questionnaire was the only tool used to collect the data that its content validity and reliability were approved through testretest and internal consistency [Alfa Cronbach] techniques. SPSS 12.0 was used to analyze the data. In group educated by film, the score mean of Knowledge increased from 31.03 (5.35) before intervention to 32.92 (4.38) after intervention. The changes was statistically significant (p<0.08). In attitude domain, however, the obtained difference was not statistically significant. In second group, educated by group discussion, the score mean of Knowledge was recorded 31.79 (4.36) and 33.97(3.34) before and after the intervention respectively. The score mean of attitude increased significantly from 37.73 (3.50) to 40.88 (2.19) following the intervention (p < 0. 001). According to independent Ttest, in secondary exam the score mean of Knowledge in the group intervened by group discussion was more than the other group.This change was statistically significant (p < 0. 002). These difference in the domain of altitude was not statistically significant (p < 0. 02). According to the results, obtained from the present study, due to more participation of the subjects, group discussion Technique had more influence in promotion of knowledge by the subjects. In the domain of attitude, however, there was not significant difference between the two techniques. That is, both methods had almost same influences on the subjects, attitudes. It is recommended, therefore, a combined technique may have more educational influence that could be tested by other studies.