Stigmatizing attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS and willingness to provide care among health professions students at a public university in the Mountain West Region of the United States.

Background: The increasing prevalence of HIV in the United highlights the need for a well-trained workforce capable of providing compassionate and equitable care. This study aimed to assess attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS, willingness to provide care, and associated factors among students in the health professions at a public university in the Mountain West Region of the United States. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used, and the study included undergraduate and graduate students in health sciences and allied disciplines. Data was collected using validated tools from September 1 to September 30, 2023. All students in the relevant departments were invited to participate. Results: Out of 177 students who responded, 175 completed at least the section of the questionnaire on sociodemographic information. The mean age of respondents was 23.5 years (SD 6.25 years), with the majority being female (84.0%) and under 35 years of age (93.0%). The prevalence of stigmatizing attitudes was 60%, and 68% of participants showed a high willingness to provide care. Participants over 35 years of age were less likely to have stigmatizing attitudes compared to those 35 years or younger (AOR = 0.13, Conclusion: This study identified gaps in the attitudes and willingness of health sciences students to care for people with HIV/AIDS and provides evidence to inform curricular reforms. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12982-026-01923-0.