Hudson RA, Freeman AC, Petty BA, Tabori J, Haley CE; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1989 Jun 4-9; 5: 909 (abstract no. E.639).
Dallas County Health Dept., Dallas, TX, USA
OBJECTIVES: To determine the baseline level of AIDS knowledge and attitudes prior to a major educational intervention, to provide data for development of curricula, to measure the level of risk-taking behavior. METHODS: Students in 2 community colleges were asked to complete a 55 question survey during regularly scheduled classes. A seven point likelihood scale rather than a binary true/false scale was used to measure knowledge of mechanisms of AIDS transmission. RESULTS: A total of 429 students completed the survey: 60% females, 30% married, 41% freshman. The students answered most transmission questions correctly but 30% believed that HIV could be transmitted by living with an infected person. 33% thought AIDS cases should be quarantined while 58% would attend class with a person with AIDS. 43% of the men with multiple sex partners thought they might be exposed to HIV in the next 5 years. Women were less likely to engage in promiscuous sexual behavior than men (19% to 6%), but also less likely to use condoms. Other differences emerged when controls were introduced for age, marital status and ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: AIDS education programs aimed at heterosexual college age students must take into account gender based safer sex behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Attitude
- Attitude to Health
- Condoms
- Curriculum
- Data Collection
- Female
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Education
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Humans
- Knowledge
- Male
- Questionnaires
- Risk-Taking
- Safe Sex
- Sexual Behavior
- Sexual Partners
- Students
Other ID:
UI: 102180773
From Meeting Abstracts