Knowledge and attitudes of medical undergraduate students in Malaysia on people living with human immunodeficiency virus

Stigmatization related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) poses significant barriers to optimizing the quality of life for individuals living with HIV (PLHIV). The knowledge and attitudes of medical students towards HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) serve as indicators of the preparedness of future healthcare providers in catering to PLHIV. In Malaysia, the existing information on this topic is outdated. This study aims to understand the current knowledge and attitudes of medical undergraduate students in Malaysia on PLHIV. A cross-sectional study was executed among medical students (n = 1161) in Malaysia. All medical undergraduates enrolled in accredited public and private medical schools in Malaysia during the study period were considered. A Google form, comprising participant information, consent, and a questionnaire, was disseminated through the social media pages of medical students' associations and representatives from medical schools nationwide. The findings indicated a significant correlation between HIV and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) knowledge scores and prior exposure to HIV/AIDS information during medical courses (p < 0.001). Factors such as race, religion, state of origin, type of medical school, year and stage of medical study, personal acquaintances with PLHIV, and encounters with PLHIV throughout the medical course exhibited significant associations with general and medical stigma, as well as emotion and fear scores (p < 0.05). Only race demonstrated a significant association with scores related to the disclosure of HIV/AIDS information (p < 0.05). This study underscores the need to augment HIV/AIDS education among medical undergraduates to mitigate stigma against PLHIV among prospective healthcare providers.