The focus group discussions involved open-ended conversations about the general topic of AIDS. The groups were held with groups of men, women, and youths in urban and rural areas of two African countries. Issues emerging during the discussions were whether AIDS was a problem in a particular community, the signs and symptoms of AIDS, AIDS transmission, prevention, barriers to changing behavior, and what to do with people with AIDS or HIV. The discussions showed clearly that people need a medium that enables them to experience at a personal level the reality and meaning of AIDS for people like themselves. Because story telling has been a means of education in Africa for generations, the ideas expressed in the focus groups could easily be used in stories and films. The mass media can also be used in the context of primary health care programs that include counseling, followup discussions, and support for change. One reference.