Perceived consequences of employing AIDS victims: development and validation of a scale

Preliminary results in the development of a 15-item scale to measure managers' beliefs about the consequences of employing AIDS victims are reported. Study participants included 248 managers in southeastern U.S. manufacturing, government, and service organizations. Principal components analysis of the proposed scale yielded three dimensions including reduced revenues, workplace disruptions, and increased insurance costs. Evidence of predictive validity is presented and support is also provided for the hypothesis that fear of AIDS in the workplace is a construct distinct from perceived consequences of AIDS in the workplace.