The Impact of Aids Information Sources: A Comparison of Strategies to Target Intravenous Drug Users

Abstract

Injection drug users (IDUs) are the second largest group of people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States (CDC, 1994, June). Social marketing campaigns currently utilize both empirical-rational and normative re-educative strategies. Empirical-rational strategies suggest that people follow their rational self-interest. Normative re-educative strategies suggest that people change their individual behavior when they believe that there has been change in the norms, values, and habits around them. Both of these strategies make assumptions concerning the use of communication sources to change beliefs and behavior. Utilizing an empirical-rational strategy would suggest emphasis on mass communications (e.g., television, radio, newspaper); while normative re-educative strategies make use of personal communications (e.g., outreach workers, role play, and group discussion). The purpose of this paper is to compare these strategies by examining the impact of AIDS communication sources on the beliefs and behaviors of IDU's prior to and during drug use and sexual activity.