ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF JOHNSON,MAGIC HIV-POSITIVE ANNOUNCEMENT ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

Was Magic Johnson's public HIV positive disclosure correlated with cha nges in AIDS-related attitudes and behaviors of individuals on a colle ge campus? Students surveyed within two weeks of Johnson's disclosure (n = 125) were compared to matched samples the semester before (n = 89 ) and after (n = 60) the announcement. We also monitored the circulati on of books on AIDS at the campus library and pamphlets about AIDS tak en from campus locations during this time period. After the announceme nt, students expressed more tolerance for people with AIDS and perceiv ed their AIDS knowledge as higher. However, neither perceived suscepti bility to HIV nor reports of safer sexual behavior increased. A short- lived increase in the numbers of pamphlets taken and books checked our was correlated with Johnson's announcement. Thus, interest in learnin g about AIDS and tolerance for people with AIDS increased, but there w ere no changes in personal risky behavior.