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New Jersey High School Students Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Regarding AIDS

NCJ Number
132110
Journal
AIDS Education and Prevention Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1991) Pages: 21-30
Author(s)
J H Skurnick; R L Johnson; M A Quinones; J D Foster; D B Louria
Date Published
1991
Length
10 pages
Annotation
A survey of 1,793 urban and rural high school students was conducted in New Jersey between March and October 1988 to determine their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about AIDS.
Abstract
The survey instrument was a multiple choice questionnaire covering demographics, high-risk groups and behaviors, transmission and course of the disease, fear of social contact, information sources, sexual experience, and the use of condoms. The results demonstrated that the students were knowledgeable about disease progression, high risk groups, and sexual contact transmission, but this knowledge was inconsistent with knowledge of risk reduction measures. In addition, fear of social contact was common and associated with misperceptions despite the knowledge about HIV transmission. Condom use was familiar and acceptable to this survey group with 49 percent of the participants reporting use of condoms, and over 80 percent thinking condoms provided some protection against AIDS. The majority of the respondents chose television as the media source for most of their information about AIDS followed by pamphlets, magazines, and newspapers students felt that personal responsibility and education would be effective measures in slowing the spread of AIDS. 2 tables and 12 references (Author abstract modified)

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