| Endemic diseases such as viral hepatitis, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections affect masses at a large scale in the United States and exacerbate interstate and interracial health disparities all over the country. This situation warrants the development of an auxiliary healthcare workforce with quality education and training to share the burden of physicians in health facilities and champion the cause of prevention and control of infections in community settings. This study aimed to assess attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their willingness to provide care and determine factors associated with attitudes and willingness among health sciences and allied professions students. The study population for this cross-sectional survey included undergraduate (first through the final year) and graduate students of health sciences and allied disciplines at a public university in the Mountain West. Data was collected using validated tools from September 1-30, 2023. All health sciences students were invited. However, those with prior clinical experience outside their respective program of study were excluded. Socio-demographically, the majority of the respondents were females (84%), ≤35 years of age (93%), and of non-Hispanic origin (83%). Around 83% were undergraduate students, and most were in nursing majors (36.6%). The majority of students lived in off-campus housing (84.4%) and had an upbringing in rural (43%) or semi-urban areas (33%). Academic courses at Idaho State University (ISU) were the primary source (51%) for learning about HIV and AIDS. The Chi-square analysis revealed associations between the respondents' Attitudes and age (p = 0.002), year in school (p = 0.07), and primary geographic upbringing (p = 0.04). The Willingness category was associated with the study major at ISU (p = 0.004), year in school (p = 0.010), and type of housing (p = 0.125). Higher mean Attitude scores indicated negative Attitudes, while higher mean scores for Willingness indicated high Willingness to provide clinical care to PLHIV. In the t-test analysis, those aged ≤35 had significantly higher mean scores for Attitude than those aged >35 years (p = 0.01). Males were likelier to score higher than females (p = 0.04) in Willingness to provide care. Undergraduate students and students in nursing majors had significantly higher Willingness scores (p = 0.076 and 0.005, respectively) than their counterparts. Students in graduate years of schooling and those living off campus scored lower on Willingness (p = 0.186 and 0.023, respectively). The binomial logistic regression model predicting negative Attitude showed that compared to age ≤35 years, those >35 years had significantly lower odds of a negative Attitude (OR=0.13, p-value 0.014). Compared to those in the first year of undergraduate education, students in higher undergraduate years had significantly lower odds of negative Attitudes (OR=0.32, p-value 0.024). Similarly, compared to those with a primary upbringing in rural areas, urban upbringings were associated with significantly lower odds of a negative Attitude (OR=0.25, p-value 0.012). In terms of Willingness, it was shown that compared to those in the first year of undergraduate education, students in higher undergraduate or graduate years had significantly lower odds of high Willingness (OR=0.43, p-value 0.12) and (OR=0.21, p-value 0.01), respectively. This research project helps identify gaps in the Attitude and Willingness of health sciences students to provide clinical care to PLHIV, based on which insightful curricular interventions are recommended for consideration by curriculum review committees. This study also provides baseline data for any future research and interventions. |