ATTITUDES OF HEALTH SCIENCES FACULTY STUDENTS TOWARDS DISABLED PERSONS

Aim: this study was carried out to determine the attitudes of health science faculty students towards disabled persons. method: this study determines university students' attitudes towards disabled persons and has descriptive type. the universe of this study is 2832 students enrolled in the faculty of health sciences of ankara university in the academic year of 2017-2018. sample was not selected in the survey and 402 volunteer students were included. the data of the study were collected by using personal information form prepared after literature reviewed by the researchers and questionnaire of attitudes towards the disability questionnaire (qatd). the data obtained by the questionnaire application in the study were analyzed using frequency, percentages, anova and t-test. results: 23.4% of the students were in child development department, 21.1% in midwifery, and 17.9% in nursing department, 15.9% in health management, 14.2% in nutrition and dietetics, 7.5% social services. according to the analyses by students' departments, there were significant differences in attitudes in terms of educational environment, family life, and competence- independent life subscales. when the source of this difference was examined, it was found that there was a meaningful difference in favor of the nursing department. in other words, the attitudes of students in the nursing department were more positive than those of the other departments. conclusion: in order for disabled people to get involved in the community, attitudes towards disabled persons must change positively. it can be said that the attitudes of health sciences faculty students towards the disabled were generally positive. the positive attitudes of health care workers, who are among the groups frequently encountering the disabled, will ensure the provision of better services for the disabled. appropriate strategies, programs, and policies should be developed to eliminate students' negative attitudes towards the disabled.