KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES ABOUT AIDS AMONG DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING PERSONS

We investigated whether the public information being dispensed about A cquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) reaches Deaf and Hard of Hear ing (D&HH) persons to the same extent as the rest of the American popu lation. Using a self-administered written survey, modified so that D&H H persons whose primary language is American Sign Language (ASL) could understand the questions, demographic difference between the 37 heari ng persons in southeast Michigan. There were no significant demographi c differences between two populations, but there were differences rega rding attitudes towards and knowledge about AIDS. D&HH persons were le ss likely to associate sexual contact with drug users and number of se xual partners as high risk sexual behaviours, were more likely to beli eve that storing blood for future personal use lowers their chances of contracting AIDS, and believed that using public restrooms, kisses on the cheek and visiting an AIDS patients increased their chances of co ntracting AIDS patients, such as they were not important to their comm unity, dentists with AIDS should not be allowed to continue working, a nd landlords should be able to evict people with AIDS. Our findings su ggest differences in receiving, trusting, and/or being exposed to curr ent information about AIDS by the Deaf community, consistent with the fact that they are a minority population with distinct knowledge and c ultural traditions.