The Public’s Knowledge and Perceptions About HIV/AIDS
Kaiser Public Opinion Spotlights provide in-depth analysis of public opinion on a variety of health care and health policy topics.
Each Spotlight uses public opinion data from Kaiser surveys and other sources to examine current views and trends.
The Public’s Knowledge and Perceptions About HIV/AIDS
Abstract
This Kaiser Public Opinion Spotlight uses data from Kaiser Family Foundation surveys and from other sources to explore the public’s level of knowledge and perceptions about HIV/AIDS, including areas such HIV transmission, prevention, and treatment, and which groups are most affected by the disease. Since the first few years of the U.S. epidemic, public knowledge about the disease has increased over time in many areas, but some significant misconceptions remain today.
In 2006, more than one-third of the public (37%) thinks HIV might be transmitted through kissing, 22% think it might be transmitted through sharing a drinking glass, and one in six (16%) think it might be transmitted through touching a toilet seat. More than four in ten adults (43%) hold at least one of these misconceptions. Misconceptions about HIV transmission are found in all segments of the population. For instance, while education does increase people’s level of knowledge about transmission somewhat, still 32% of college graduates held at least one misconception about HIV is transmitted.
In addition to misconceptions about HIV transmission, many adults also hold misconceptions about HIV prevention and treatment. In 2006, more than half the public did not know that having another sexually transmitted disease can increase a person’s risk of getting HIV (56%), and that a pregnant woman with HIV can take drugs to reduce the risk of her baby being infected (55%). Smaller shares did not know that there is presently no cure for HIV (14%) and that there are drugs that can lengthen the lives of people with HIV (13%).
In 2006, approximately half of new AIDS diagnoses in the U.S. are among African Americans, and the AIDS case rate among African Americans is significantly higher than for whites. Most Americans are not aware of the disproportionate impact of the HIV epidemic on African Americans. Just over a quarter say that African Americans are more likely than whites to be infected with HIV (a slightly higher share of African Americans themselves – 34%– say this is true), and only 12% name African Americans in an open-ended question about which groups are most likely to be infected (7% name minorities in general).
Treatment access is an issue even in the U.S., with the CDC reporting that about half of those who need antiretrovirals are not getting them. Americans perceive these access challenges, with seven in ten (70%) thinking that most people with HIV in the U.S. do not get access to needed medication. However, a majority (57%) believe that most people at high risk for HIV in the U.S. do have access to needed prevention services.
More than six in ten adults (61%) say that most of what they know about HIV/AIDS comes from the media, including radio, TV, and newspapers. In terms of the type of information they receive, many people say they would like to have more information about HIV/AIDS, particularly the different kinds of HIV tests available (44%), and how to protect their privacy 2
when getting an HIV test (40%). This is especially true for African Americans and Latinos, who are almost twice as likely as whites to say they would like more information about HIV/AIDS
Full article
http://www.kff.org/spotlight/hiv/upload/Spotlight_Aug06_Knowledge.pdf
Date: August 2006
Each Spotlight uses public opinion data from Kaiser surveys and other sources to examine current views and trends.
The Public’s Knowledge and Perceptions About HIV/AIDS
Abstract
This Kaiser Public Opinion Spotlight uses data from Kaiser Family Foundation surveys and from other sources to explore the public’s level of knowledge and perceptions about HIV/AIDS, including areas such HIV transmission, prevention, and treatment, and which groups are most affected by the disease. Since the first few years of the U.S. epidemic, public knowledge about the disease has increased over time in many areas, but some significant misconceptions remain today.
In 2006, more than one-third of the public (37%) thinks HIV might be transmitted through kissing, 22% think it might be transmitted through sharing a drinking glass, and one in six (16%) think it might be transmitted through touching a toilet seat. More than four in ten adults (43%) hold at least one of these misconceptions. Misconceptions about HIV transmission are found in all segments of the population. For instance, while education does increase people’s level of knowledge about transmission somewhat, still 32% of college graduates held at least one misconception about HIV is transmitted.
In addition to misconceptions about HIV transmission, many adults also hold misconceptions about HIV prevention and treatment. In 2006, more than half the public did not know that having another sexually transmitted disease can increase a person’s risk of getting HIV (56%), and that a pregnant woman with HIV can take drugs to reduce the risk of her baby being infected (55%). Smaller shares did not know that there is presently no cure for HIV (14%) and that there are drugs that can lengthen the lives of people with HIV (13%).
In 2006, approximately half of new AIDS diagnoses in the U.S. are among African Americans, and the AIDS case rate among African Americans is significantly higher than for whites. Most Americans are not aware of the disproportionate impact of the HIV epidemic on African Americans. Just over a quarter say that African Americans are more likely than whites to be infected with HIV (a slightly higher share of African Americans themselves – 34%– say this is true), and only 12% name African Americans in an open-ended question about which groups are most likely to be infected (7% name minorities in general).
Treatment access is an issue even in the U.S., with the CDC reporting that about half of those who need antiretrovirals are not getting them. Americans perceive these access challenges, with seven in ten (70%) thinking that most people with HIV in the U.S. do not get access to needed medication. However, a majority (57%) believe that most people at high risk for HIV in the U.S. do have access to needed prevention services.
More than six in ten adults (61%) say that most of what they know about HIV/AIDS comes from the media, including radio, TV, and newspapers. In terms of the type of information they receive, many people say they would like to have more information about HIV/AIDS, particularly the different kinds of HIV tests available (44%), and how to protect their privacy 2
when getting an HIV test (40%). This is especially true for African Americans and Latinos, who are almost twice as likely as whites to say they would like more information about HIV/AIDS
Full article
http://www.kff.org/spotlight/hiv/upload/Spotlight_Aug06_Knowledge.pdf
Date: August 2006
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