A Survey of Adolescents\u27 Knowledge and Attitudes of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of students pertaining to AIDS. Students from 7th and 8th grades in a South Western Kansas middle school were surveyed. The sample consisted of 392 students. Of the students completing the survey 188 were male and 204 were female. The following independent variables were investigated: grade level, gender, race and economic status. The dependent variables were scores from the following subscales of the Factor Analytically Based Surveys for Measuring AIDS Knowledge and Attitude: Perceived Personal Vulnerability, Perceived Extent of Others’ Risk Reduction Efforts, Desire for AIDS Information, Perceived Effectiveness of Preventive Measures, and Knowledge of AIDS. Four composite null hypothesis were tested at the .05 level of significance. A three-way analysis of variance (general linear model) was employed for all null hypotheses. A total of 84 comparisons were made plus 84 recurring. Of the 84 comparisons, 24 were for main effects and 60 were for interactions. The results of the present study appeared to support the following generalizations: 1. American Indian students have more knowledge of AIDS than Hispanic, Asian and Black students, 2. Students who receive free lunch have a greater perceived extent of others’ risk reduction efforts that students paying regular or reduced lunch prices, 3. Eighth grade students have more knowledge of AIDS than 7th grade students, 4. Students who paid full price for lunches have greater knowledge of AIDS than students who received reduced or free lunches, 5. Gender, grade level and race should be interpreted concurrently for Perceived Disease Severity, 6. Gender and race should be interpreted concurrently for Perceived Effectiveness of Preventive Measures, 7. Gender and grade level should be interpreted concurrently for Desire for AIDS Information, 8. Gender and economic status should be interpreted concurrently for Desire for AIDS Information, and, 9. Grade level, race and economic status should be interpreted concurrently for Perceived Personal Vulnerability