SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT HIV/AIDS AND PERCEIVED RISK OF INFECTION AMONG HETEROSEXUAL YOUNG ADULTS: 1989 AND 1994

Abstract

This paper reports a study of sources of information about HIV/AIDS and trust of the sources among heterosexuals in 1989 (113 females and 91 males) and 1994 (185 females and 66 males). We also examined whether perceived personal risk of HIV infection was predicted by sources of information about HIV/AIDS, trust of the sources, how informed about AIDS people believed they were, and perceived risk of infection to others, as well as whether there was a relationship between perceived personal risk and safe sex behaviour. Participants received most of their information about AIDS/HIV from magazines, newspapers, and television, but placed most trust on sources such as doctors and HIV/AIDS organisations. Perceived personal risk was influenced most by perceived risk to friends and to people with the same sexual practices. In the 1994 sample, perceived personal risk was correlated with the amount of condom use among participants with sexual experience. These results indicate ther has been relative stability across a five‐year period. They also point to the continuing discrepancy among young heterosexuals between the most‐used and most‐trusted sources of information, as well as to the importance of peer influence on perceptions of personal risk of HIV infection.