HIV risk factors, HIV antibody testing, and AIDS knowledge among African Americans age 55 years and older.

This study uses data from the 1992 AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey to assess AIDS knowledge, prevalence of HIV testing, and HIV risk factors among 745 African Americans age 55 years and older. The results revealed that only one of the six respondents who reported an HIV risk factor had been tested for HIV. Overall, the respondents were very knowledgeable about the major modes of transmission, but they still had misconceptions about the likelihood of transmission through casual contact. Prevention programs aimed at African Americans age 55 years and older should focus on dispelling misconceptions about the transmission of HIV through casual contact, and enhancing their knowledge about the effectiveness of condoms in preventing the spread of AIDS.