Perceptions of risk and severity, prior risk of exposure, and AIDS related behavior among adult men in the U.S.
Int Conf AIDS 1993 Jun 6-11; 9:121 (abstract no. WS-D18-1) Klepinger D, Billy J, Tanfer K, Grady W; Battelle Human Affairs Research Centers, Seattle, Washington 98105.
In this paper, we provide information from a survey conducted in 1991 of a nationally representative sample of adult men in the U.S. (The National Survey of Men) concerning perceptions about the risk and severity of AIDS, prior risk behavior and how these factors are associated with each other and AIDS related behavior. The results show that adult men are well aware of the severity of AIDS, but that perceived severity of AIDS appears to have very little impact on AIDS related behavior. Similarly, perceptions of the risks of transmitting HIV do not appear to be related to either concerns about AIDS or AIDS related behavior. We do find, however, that perceptions about the risk of exposure to HIV are significantly related to concerns about AIDS and AIDS related behavior. These results suggest that the primary prevention strategy used by most men is to try to avoid potential partners who are HIV positive rather than protect themselves in case a partner(s) is infected. We also find that most men understand what behaviors place them at risk of contracting HIV, and that prior risk behavior is significantly related to men's evaluations of their own HIV status. However, we find that perceptions about own HIV status are only moderately related to recent AIDS related behavior. Finally, our results suggest that there are two types of people who believe that they might be HIV positive, those who refrain from any sexual activity and those who continue to engage in high risk behaviors.
Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Risk, Risk-Taking, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Perception, Causality, Data Collection, United States, Adult, Human, Male, ICA9 930606
WSD181
