Determining the effect of individuals' personality traits on knowledge and attitudes about aids

The study was carried out to determine the effect of personality traits of individuals on knowledge and attitude about AIDS. The universe of the descriptive study consisted of 360 patients treated in the internal medicine clinics of a public hospital, and the sample consisted of 240 patients who agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected through a general information form including sociodemographic characteristics, AIDS Knowledge and Attitude Scales, and the Five Factor Personality Scale. Percentages, means, t-test, One-Way Annova test and Pearson correlation test were used to evaluate the data. With a mean age of 54.99±15.33%, 55.8% of the patients are women, 37.6% are primary school graduates and 30.9% are working. 82.5% of the patients had information about AIDS and 68.7% of them got this information from television. 39.2% of them show an attitude of avoidance when confronted with an AIDS patient. The mean scores of the patients' extroversion subscale of BFIS were 27.52±6.63, agreeableness 32.30±4.65, conscientiousness 33.96±4.60, emotional stability 23.88±6.23, openness to experience 31.77± The total score of 7.58 and BFKI was found to be 149.45±16.44. The patients' AIDS Transmission routes sub-dimension score was 8.52±2.44, Prevention general information was 11.19±2.10, Treatment 6.40±1.45 and AIDS total score was 17.59±2.67. The patients' negative attitude sub-dimension score of AIDSTS was determined as 27.33±13.32, stigma 17.05±7.13 and total AIDSS score of 44.38±17.78. It was determined that the personality traits of the patients affected the state of having knowledge about AIDS, the state of being educated about AIDS, the state of wanting to receive information about AIDS, the emotion/attitude felt when meeting the AIDS patient, and the place where he received information about AIDS (p<0.05). Personality characteristics of patients affect their knowledge and attitudes about AIDS. It is thought that considering the personality traits of individuals in the studies aimed at preventing the stigma related to AIDS will contribute to the solution of the problem