Public information about AIDS in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Mexico

Surveys of public knowledge and attitudes regarding AIDS have been conducted in Brazil, Haiti, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. In Brazil two-thirds of the 5,000 survey subjects were aware of how HIV is transmitted, and 20% said they had changed their lifestyles or sexual practices to reduce their risk of infection. Of the 1,961 subjects surveyed in Mexico City, Mexico, 86% knew that AIDS was an infectious disease, and 52% believed condoms were an effective barrier against HIV. A 1987 survey in the Dominican Republic showed that awareness of AIDS, its modes of transmission, and preventive measures had improved since a similar survey conducted in 1985. In the Haitian survey in 1987, 24% to 68% of the respondents could identify high-risk groups, but there was some uncertainty about modes of transmission, the effectiveness of medical care, and the efficacy of measures to prevent HIV transmission.