Perceived credibility of channels and sources of AIDS information among Hispanics.

A total of 460 Hispanic adults were interviewed over the telephone regarding the credibility they assigned to various possible channels and sources of AIDS information. An AIDS hotline and printed information (e.g., books, pamphlets) were perceived as highly believable channels by significant proportions of the respondents. Individuals in closer contact with the disease (e.g., a physician, a counselor, a person with AIDS) were overwhelmingly perceived as the most credible sources of information. With the exception of the Surgeon General no other public figure was perceived to be highly credible by large proportions of the respondents. Although women tended to perceive the various channels and sources as highly credible in greater proportions than men, the rank ordering of the information channels and sources is the same for both genders. Credibility ratings were lowest for actors, singers, and sports figures as sources of AIDS information for Hispanics and for illustrated storybooks (fotonovelas) as a channel for the dissemination of information.