Level of knowledge, attitude and practices such students of a medical program on hiv / aids (Barranquilla, Colombia): descriptive study.

Nivel de conocimientos, tipo de actitud y prácticas de los estudiantes de medicina sobre el vih/sida (Barranquilla, Colombia): estudio descriptivo.

Objective: To describe the level of knowledge, attitude and practices such students of a medical program on HIV / AIDS in the city of Barranquilla. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study. A total of 185 medical students from 1^th to 12^th semester were surveyed. There were applied a KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices) Questionnaire on HIV/AIDS, designed for IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation), 26 questions related to the level of knowledge, 25 Related to attitudes and 5 with practices against HIV, in addition to sociodemographic variables (age, sex, semester). It was made univariate analysis (mean, standard deviation, relative frequency and absolute frequency) and bivariate analysis (relative frequency, absolute frequency and square test). Results: Average age of participants: 20.3 years (SD +/- 2.36); No significant differences (p>0,05) by gender, with respect to knowledge, attitudes and practices were found but some differences were obtained per semester (p<0.05), related to treatment, prevention and posture face care patients. Conclusion: Acceptable level of knowledge, but they should be strengthened related to health promotion and to guide better attitudes and practices against patients and disease aspects.