HIV AIDS KNOWLEDGE AMONG THE US POPULATION

This analysis examines knowledge of HIV and AIDS among 71,370 persons interviewed in a national sample of the U.S. population. Factor analys is of 26 questions about HIV infection and AIDS identified four distin ct dimensions of AIDS knowledge: 1) transmission mechanisms; 2) common ly known nontechnical information; 3) definitions of AIDS; and 4) tech nical information. Significant differences across racial, ethnic, soci oeconomic, and demographic groups exist for each dimension of AIDS kno wledge, In general, racial minorities and those with lower socioeconom ic status are shown to have lower knowledge levels. Exposure to mass m edia about AIDS, and knowing a person with HIV or AIDS, are also stron g predictors of increased knowledge. Multivariate analysis demonstrate s 1) that socioeconomic status is a better predictor of knowledge of A IDS than race or ethnicity; and 2) exposure to AIDS mass media has the strongest effect on all dimensions of AIDS knowledge except for knowl edge of technical issues about AIDS. Policy implications of these resu lts are discussed.