An examination of change in reports of AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes in 1986 and 1988

This study employed a cross-sectional design to examine change in AIDS-related attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors among students at a western university between 1986 and 1988. Analysis indicates that knowledge of how AIDS is transmitted improved. There was high association between attitudes to AIDS patients and attitudes towards homosexuals. Although attitudes towards individuals with AIDS did not change, attitudes towards homosexuals became more negative. Men reported more negative attitudes towards AIDS patients and towards homosexuals than did women. Most importantly, more students in 1988 reported changing their behavior than in 1986. These results are congruent with those from other investigations and suggest that AIDS-education campaigns and media attention to AIDS are working to change students' high-risk behaviors.