ERIC Number: ED299481
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1988-Apr
Pages: 17
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
College Students' Attitudes and Knowledge Regarding AIDS.
Goggin, Kathy
Attitudes and knowledge regarding Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) of 498 college students enrolled at California State University, Dominguez Hills were surveyed. The AIDS Opinion and Information Surveys were administered to subjects between the ages of 18 and 46+, with 81.5% being below the age of 32. The 19-item Opinion survey uses a five-point Likert-type response format to assess attitudes towards AIDS on four dimensions: (1) perceived personal vulnerability; (2) perceived severity of the AIDS epidemic; (3) desire for more information about AIDS; and (4) perceived effectiveness of prevention methods. The 23-item Information survey uses an extended true-false response format. Questions focus on transmission of the human immuno deficiency virus and prevention of infection. Subjects showed very conflicting feelings towards AIDS. Even though subjects perceived AIDS as a severe problem they did not feel personally vulnerable. Misconceptions about modes of transmission, especially from casual contact, were high. These findings suggest specific strategies for AIDS education on college campuses. (Author)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A
Note: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Psychological Association (68th, Burlingame, CA, April 28-May 1, 1988).