Self-reported risk factors and perceived chance of getting HIV/AIDS in the 1990s in Alberta

This paper examines self-reported risk factors and perceived chance of getting HIV/AIDS using five representative surveys of adult Albertans obtained in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, and 1996. The findings from this trend analysis demonstrate that less than 10% of respondents perceived their chance of getting HIV/AIDS to be medium or high. Persons with multiple sex partners tended to perceive themselves to be at risk. Almost 20% of respondents reported one or more new sex partners in the last two years prior to the survey. Condom use with new sex partners increased substantially. Fifteen percent of respondents reported two or more sex partners in total in the last two years prior to the survey. Fourteen percent reported having two or more sex partners including at least one casual sex partner, and of these 61% reported always using condoms with their casual sex partner(s). Finally, the most striking finding is the perception among health care workers that they are at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS.