A cross-cultural study of social work students' attitudes toward AIDS policy: implications for social work education

Many policy questions have been raised by the AIDS crisis, touching on the basic moral values in every society. The study compares social work students' attitudes and perceptions toward AIDS policy in two countries, the USA and Egypt. Social work's role in dealing with AIDS has yet to be defined in Egypt. American social work students have shown comparatively greater knowledge about AIDS than Egyptian students. Exposure to AIDS experience seems to be a significant variable in determining students' attitudes. In general, social work students in the USA and Egypt adopt an advocacy role in responding to the AIDS crisis.