Evaluating the Impact of Targeted Training on the Attitude and Knowledge of Evangelical Pastors on HIV in Tamil Nadu: A Pre-Test Post-Test Study

Introduction: HIV/AIDS continues to be a significant global health challenge, with persistent stigma and misinformation hindering effective management, particularly within faith-based communities. Hence a study aimed to evaluate the impact of targeted training on the attitudes and knowledge of evangelical pastors in Tamil Nadu, India, regarding HIV was organized so that the pastors who are faith leaders in the Christian community can work towards removing stigma and ill treatment of HIV patients in the society. Objective: the objectives of the study were to assess the baseline knowledge and attitudes of evangelical pastors in Tamil Nadu regarding HIV, providing a foundation for understanding their current perspectives. It wanted to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured training program developed by Samaritan's Purse in enhancing pastors' knowledge and attitudes toward HIV. Additionally, the study compared pre-test and post-test results between the experimental group, which underwent the training, and the control group, to determine the program's impact. Method: A pre-test post-test research design was used. A Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 100 Pastors working in Chennai. Results: The study findings showed that the majority of pastors ( 96 %) had moderately adequate knowledge and ( 97% ) had unfavourable attitude about HIV and HIV infected patients in the pre-test. Post-intervention analysis showed significant improvements in the experimental group, with 94% demonstrating adequate knowledge and 80% developing favourable attitudes towards HIV patients. Conclusion: From the findings it can be concluded that the Prescription for Hope training program for pastors was effective in improving Pastor’s knowledge and attitude towards HIV Patients.