Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
International Journal of Caring Sciences, cilt.17, sa.3, ss.1266-1276, 2024 (Hakemli Dergi)
Abstract Background: The disability attitude of nurses, the largest population of health professionals, can affect health care. Nursing students' attitudes towards disabled individuals have a moderate-positive attitude, and first-year students have the most negative attitudes compared to upper-year students. Nursing students have various opportunities throughout the curriculum to encourage more positive attitudes. Objective: To identify nursing students' attitudes toward disabled individuals and factors affecting their attitudes. Methods: This research was conducted with a descriptive design. It was conducted on first, second, third, and fourth-year students (n=766) in the nursing department of a state university. A questionnaire and the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS) were used for the data collection. Factors considered related were tested with Independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value<0.05. Results: The feelings of the nursing students participating in the study towards the disabled individual were found to be more negative, unlike their thoughts and behaviour. There is a significant relationship between being a woman (p<0.001), being upper class (p<0.001), the presence of a disabled person in the immediate vicinity (p<0.001), receiving education about disability (p<0.001), having information about the legal regulations for the disabled people (p<0.001), and attitude towards a disabled person. Conclusion: Nursing students' attitudes towards disabled individuals were found to be moderately positive. At all grade levels and in the context of the nursing profession, to increase the awareness and sensitivity of students, innovative projects and areas where disabled and non-disabled individuals can come together should be considered. It may be recommended that the factors affecting attitudes towards disabled people be investigated in depth using qualitative research methods.