PsychologicalReports, 1990, 67, 1314. O Psychological Reports 1990
ATTITUDES OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TOWARDS AIDS ' SCOTT A. MATIN AND DAVID LESTER Richard Stockton Stute College Summary.-19 mobile, intensive care paramedics and 21 RNs scored similarly on Rotter's I-E scale and on a 15-item attitude inventory. Aware of dangers associated with treating people with AIDS, they do not want to change careers and, on the average, agree slightly that they treat AIDS patients like other patients. To explore the attitudes of emergency medical service (EMS) providers toward AIDS, a 15-item inventory was administered anonymously to the 13 men and 6 women who were mobile intensive care paramedics (M.,,: 29.9 yr., SD: 7.3) and the 2 men and 19 women who were RNs (M,,:37.7 y t , SD: 6.7) in one township, together with Rotter's (1966) locus of control scale. No differences were found between the two groups on their responses to either scale, so their scores on each were oooled. The items were scored strongly agree (4 points), agree (3 points), disagree (2 points), and strongly disagree (1 point). The respondents agreed with the items: I should have knowledge of AIDS patients prior to treatment (M: 3.65, SD: 0.701, EMS providers have a greater chance of being exposed to AIDS than others in the health care field (3.25 f 0.95), I was upset when I first found out that AIDS was incurable (3.15 0.77), I am more cautious in everyday activities since I have learned about AIDS (3.15 f 0.80), and In terms of the added risk only, I think we should be compensated more for our work (3.05 0.81). They showed slight agreement with the items: I am sufficiently educated about AIDS (3.O), There is much discrimination in EMS towards AIDS patients (2.81, When I suspect a person has AIDS, I treat him just as aggressively as if he didn't (2.8), I always follow the recommended precautions for protecting myself against AIDS (e.g., gloves) (2.7), People who have been in EMS before AIDS was around are less cautious than those just getting into the field today (2.61, and When I know a patient has AIDS, I don't treat them any differently (2.6). They disagreed with the items: Since I found out about AIDS I have thought about a career change (1.8). and If I were nearly exposed to an AIDS patient I would think seriously about changing my profession (1.9). They showed slight disagreement with the items: I think there are fewer people working in EMS today because of AIDS (2.3), and My employer is doing everything he can to protect me from being exposed to AIDS (2.3). Scores on the locus of control scale were significantly associated with responses to four items. A stronger external locus of control was associated with a stronger desire for a career change (Pearson rs = 0.31 and 0.28), feeling less well educated about AIDS ( r = -0.29), and disagreeing more that experienced EMS providers are less cautious than newcomers (r = -0.30). On the whole, then, EMS providers currently in the field show an awareness of the dangers but do not want to change careers. They agree only slightly on the average that they treat AIDS patients the same as other patients, and so known AIDS patients may not receive as aggressive intervention as other patients.
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Accepted December 12, 1990.
'Address correspondence to David Lester, Ph.D., Richard Stockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240.
ATTITUDES OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TOWARDS AIDS ' SCOTT A. MATIN AND DAVID LESTER Richard Stockton Stute College Summary.-19 mobile, intensive care paramedics and 21 RNs scored similarly on Rotter's I-E scale and on a 15-item attitude inventory. Aware of dangers associated with treating people with AIDS, they do not want to change careers and, on the average, agree slightly that they treat AIDS patients like other patients. To explore the attitudes of emergency medical service (EMS) providers toward AIDS, a 15-item inventory was administered anonymously to the 13 men and 6 women who were mobile intensive care paramedics (M.,,: 29.9 yr., SD: 7.3) and the 2 men and 19 women who were RNs (M,,:37.7 y t , SD: 6.7) in one township, together with Rotter's (1966) locus of control scale. No differences were found between the two groups on their responses to either scale, so their scores on each were oooled. The items were scored strongly agree (4 points), agree (3 points), disagree (2 points), and strongly disagree (1 point). The respondents agreed with the items: I should have knowledge of AIDS patients prior to treatment (M: 3.65, SD: 0.701, EMS providers have a greater chance of being exposed to AIDS than others in the health care field (3.25 f 0.95), I was upset when I first found out that AIDS was incurable (3.15 0.77), I am more cautious in everyday activities since I have learned about AIDS (3.15 f 0.80), and In terms of the added risk only, I think we should be compensated more for our work (3.05 0.81). They showed slight agreement with the items: I am sufficiently educated about AIDS (3.O), There is much discrimination in EMS towards AIDS patients (2.81, When I suspect a person has AIDS, I treat him just as aggressively as if he didn't (2.8), I always follow the recommended precautions for protecting myself against AIDS (e.g., gloves) (2.7), People who have been in EMS before AIDS was around are less cautious than those just getting into the field today (2.61, and When I know a patient has AIDS, I don't treat them any differently (2.6). They disagreed with the items: Since I found out about AIDS I have thought about a career change (1.8). and If I were nearly exposed to an AIDS patient I would think seriously about changing my profession (1.9). They showed slight disagreement with the items: I think there are fewer people working in EMS today because of AIDS (2.3), and My employer is doing everything he can to protect me from being exposed to AIDS (2.3). Scores on the locus of control scale were significantly associated with responses to four items. A stronger external locus of control was associated with a stronger desire for a career change (Pearson rs = 0.31 and 0.28), feeling less well educated about AIDS ( r = -0.29), and disagreeing more that experienced EMS providers are less cautious than newcomers (r = -0.30). On the whole, then, EMS providers currently in the field show an awareness of the dangers but do not want to change careers. They agree only slightly on the average that they treat AIDS patients the same as other patients, and so known AIDS patients may not receive as aggressive intervention as other patients.
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Accepted December 12, 1990.
'Address correspondence to David Lester, Ph.D., Richard Stockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240.
