Koliko su studenti više medicinske škole u Bitoli upoznati s problemom infekcije HCV-om

Healthcare workers are at risk of occupationally-acquired viral infections such as human immunodefi ciency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV). HCV is parenterally transmitted and has been found in every part of the world. This cross-sectional study was conducted to establish the awareness and attitude about HCV infections among 210 full-time and part-time nursing students of the Medical College in Bitola, Macedonia ‘from May to June 2009. For this purpose we used a self-administered questionnaire which consisted of three parts. The fi rst included demographic data, the second included questions about causes of infection, mode of transmission, symptoms, acute and chronic hepatitis, and prevention, and the third questions about students’ attitude toward patients with suspect or confi rmed HCV infection. Full-time students showed higher HCV awareness (84 %) than part-time students (69 %). 58 % of the full-time and 79 % of the part-time students said they would not avoid professional contact with suspect or HCV infected patients. Our study has shown that even though both groups of students have a suffi cient knowledge about HCV to face future challenges, they need further education on the subject. Practical recommendations would help to reduce stigmatising behaviour still further.Zdravstveni su radnici izloženi profesionalnomu riziku od infekcije virusom humane imunodefi cijencije (HIV-om), hepatitis B virusom (HBV-om) te hepatitis C virusom (HCV-om). HCV se prenosi parenteralno i ima ga posvuda u svijetu. Ovo smo presječno ispitivanje proveli da utvrdimo koliko su studenti za medicinske tehničare i sestre upoznati s infekcijom HCV-om i saznamo njihove stavove o tome. Ispitivanje je obuhvatilo 210 redovitih i izvanrednih studenata Visoke medicinske škole u Bitoli i trajalo je od svibnja do lipnja 2009. Za ispitivanje je rabljen opširan upitnik. Odgovori su pokazali da redoviti studenti imaju bolji uvid u predmet (s 84 % točnih odgovora) od izvanrednih studenata (69 %). U pogledu stava prema pacijentima 58 % redovitih i 79 % izvanrednih studenata ne izbjegava dodir s pacijentima koji su infi cirani HCV-om. Ispitivanje je pokazalo da su studenti iz obje skupine dovoljno upoznati s infekcijom HCV-om, rizičnim čimbenicima i načinom prijenosa, ali je potrebno to znanje nadograditi