Knowledge about AIDS among Zimbabwean teacher-trainees before and during the public awareness campaign

Knowledge about AIDS was studied among 4,189 Zimbabwean teacher-trainees from January to March, 1988, about six months after a national AIDS awareness campaign began. Knowledge about AIDS among part of this sample of teacher-trainees surveyed after the AIDS campaign began was also compared with that displayed by 630 teacher-trainees studied in January, 1987, roughly six months before the AIDS campaign began. Over 85 percent of 1988 subjects knew that AIDS is fatal and incurable. More than 80 percent of 1988 respondents knew that a condom is an effective precaution against AIDS. However, among 1988 participants, 35 percent did not know that many people carrying the AIDS virus look healthy, 36 percent believed that many AIDS victims in Africa are homosexual, 36 percent did not know that one cannot contract AIDS from a toilet seat, 40 percent believed that kissing transmits AIDS and nearly half believed that mosquitoes transmit AIDS. Males and subjects from urban homes were better informed about AIDS than females and those from rural homes, respectively. Teacher-trainees surveyed in 1988 were generally more knowledgeable about AIDS than those studied in 1987. The implications of these results for further educational efforts are considered.