Comparison of perceptions of HIV/AIDS between Cameroonian, Honduran and American nursing students after Peerled Education

The study examined changes in HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs between cohorts of Cameroonian, Honduran, and American nursing students across iterations of a train-the-trainer program. Following a didactic course on HIV/AIDS, two subsets of American students led an educational workshop in Cameroon and Honduras. Fifty-three Cameroonian, 31 Honduran, and 33 American nursing students were evaluated prior to the course or workshop, at the program's conclusion, and 60 days later. Students responded to surveys that measured stigma, willingness to provide care, attitude, and knowledge. Questionnaire scale scores differed signifi cantly by country at each of the three assessment periods. All cohorts demonstrated an improvement in knowledge with varying levels of success. The workshop helped the American subset sustain a willingness to provide care and increased obstetrical-related HIV/AIDS knowledge more than the didactic course for American students or workshop for Cameroonian students. The American subset showed the greatest improvement in knowledge. Cross-cultural peer interaction is a constructive and valuable strategy for improving comprehension and perceptions of HIV/AIDS among student nurses and should be tailored to meet the personal and professional experiences of the students.