Original Article

Determination of Knowledge, Attitude, Behavior about Genetically Modified Organisms in Nursing School Students

10.5455/gulhane.33326

  • Turker Turker
  • Necmettin Kocak
  • Ibrahim Aydin
  • Hakan İstanbulluoğlu
  • Nuri Yildiran
  • Yusuf Ziya Turk
  • Selim Kilic

Received Date: 21.02.2013 Accepted Date: 23.04.2013 Gulhane Med J 2013;55(4):297-304

BACKGROUND:

The aim of this study is finding out the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of nursing school students regarding Genetically Modified Organisms.

METHODS:

This cross-sectional study was conducted students of Gulhane Military Medical Academy Nursing School on February–May 2010. In our study the sample is not selected, the research tried to involve the whole all population (n=354). The socio-demographical characteristics of the participants as well as their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors on Genetically Modified Organisms were gathered by a structured questionnaire developed by the researchers.

RESULTS:

Of the participants 82.9% (n=287) stated that people in the community weren’t adequately informed about GM foods, 77.7% (n=269) stated that they considered GM food production as risky for all living things in nature, 85.5% (n=296) stated that the food they currently preferred might include some GM products.

CONCLUSION:

The risk perceptions of the participants of our study, who are going to make up the future workforce in health sector, was found out to be high while the results showed that they had insufficient information on the issue. It is recommended that educational activities aiming at eliminating the lack of information of students should be included in the curriculum plans.

Keywords: genetically modified organism, Knowledge, attitude, behavior.