Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs of Students regarding AIDS: A Review

The Relationship Between Attitudes Toward Persons Who Are Gay and Persons With AIDS, and HIV and AIDS Knowledge

“…Specifically, counselors in training who reported positive attitudes toward persons who are gay and persons who have AIDS also tended to demonstrate higher levels of HIV and AIDS knowledge. As previously noted, a similar relationship has been demonstrated in research among undergraduates (e.g., Fennell, 1990). Contrary to our hypotheses and previous research, however, these variables did not differ by sex, age, or previous training.…”

“…1. Students know a great deal about HIV disease and the behaviors that put them at risk of infection with the virus (e.g., Fennell, 1990;Keeling, 1991).…”

“…2. Men are less accepting of persons with HIV disease than are women (e.g., Fennell, 1990;Goodwin & Roscoe, 1988).…”

“…3. The more knowledge a student has about HIV disease, the more willing he or she is to associate with an HIV-infected individual and the less homophobic he or she is likely to be (Fennell, 1990;Goertzel & Bluebond-Langer, 1991;Goodwin & Roscoe, 1988).…”

“…4. The more homophobic a person is, the more "AIDS-phobic" he or she is likely to be and vice versa (e.g., Dupras, Levy, Samson, & Tessier, 1989;Fennell, 1990;Goertzel & Bluebond-Langer, 1991;Goodwin & Roscoe, 1988).…”