Journal of professional nursing : official journal of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
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The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to (1) examine differences in baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes toward persons living with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (PLWAs) according to mode of transmission and (2) identify demographic and academic variables influencing baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes toward PLWAs. Two hundred forty-six students from five geographically dispersed baccalaureate programs returned a completed demographic data sheet, AIDS Knowledge Scale, and AIDS Attitude Scale. ⋯ Perhaps the PLWA who contracted AIDS through either maternal transmission or a blood transfusion was viewed as an "innocent victim" of the disease, whereas PLWAs who contracted the virus through either shared needles or sexual transmission were viewed as having acquired the infection through the results of their actions. The demographic characteristics of the respondents did not influence AIDS attitudes.