Who hasn't heard about AIDS?

This article analyzes who among the general population has not heard about AIDS despite intensive educational programs and widespread media attention about the syndrome. The data are drawn from a survey of the general public's knowledge, attitudes, and behavior toward AIDS in May-July, 1987 to establish a baseline for future educational interventions and to identify groups in need of special educational efforts. A total of 1540 interviews were conducted in Chicago and the surrounding six-county metropolitan area with adults between the ages of 18 and 60 in a two-stage cluster sample designed to compare blacks, whites, and Hispanics. Of the 1540 respondents, 49 (3.2%) had never heard of AIDS. Contingency table and logistic regression analyses indicated that lower educational levels and being Hispanic or Asian predict not having heard about AIDS. The results suggest the need for programs and intervention strategies that consider the special characteristics of these populations.