Ke. Bruce et al., ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF JOHNSON,MAGIC HIV-POSITIVE ANNOUNCEMENT ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, Journal of sex education and therapy, 20(4), 1994, pp. 264-276
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.