Attitudes of nursing students toward people with disabilities

Background: Attitudes of healthcare professionals are major factors in the rehabilitation and self-acceptance of people with disabilities. Consequently, it is important that nurses develop or maintain positive attitudes towards people with disabilities during their education. Nevertheless, more knowledge is needed about current attitudes of nursing students and factors influencing these attitudes. Objectives: To investigate the attitude of Turkish nursing students towards people with disabilities and demographic variables mostly influence this attitude. Participants: The sample of the study comprised of 587 undergraduate nursing students. Design and Setting: This descriptive study was conducted at two nursing schools and two health schools at undergraduate level located in three different cities in Turkey. Method: Data were collected in a class composed of students from schools between January and April 2009. The questionnaire used in the study consisted of four parts: (1) a demographic data sheet; (2) background in disability (3) contact and experiences with disabled people (4) The Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP-form 0). Results: All of the participants were female with a mean age of 22.25 +/- 1.53. Only 2% of the participants reported having a physical disability themselves. The mean ATDP score was 64.27 +/- 0.36 (range 33-96). The age, school type, prior knowledge, giving care to disabled people in the family and social life were found statistically significant factors for having positive attitudes (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The age group, type of school, prior education regarding the disabled and the condition of caregiving to disabled people are factors influencing nursing students' attitudes towards people with disabilities. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.