Biomaterial Database

Knowledge and attitudes about AIDS among corporate and public service employees. 1992

J K Barr, and J M Waring, and L J Warshaw

New York Business Group on Health, Inc., NY 10017-6763.

BACKGROUND We examined the relationship between workplace AIDS education efforts and workers' knowledge about HIV transmission and their attitudes toward coworkers with AIDS. METHODS Questionnaires were mailed to corporate and public service workers at 12 work sites to ascertain the extent of their knowledge about AIDS and their attitudes toward coworkers with AIDS. Each work site had offered an AIDS education program. The average response rate was 40%; 3460 workers returned questionnaires. RESULTS Respondents' knowledge was largely consistent with available scientific evidence. However, a substantial minority still believe HIV infection can be transmitted through casual contact. Over 30% endorse the screening of new employees for AIDS, and 23% would fear contagion from an infected coworker. Thirty percent of the respondents expressed skepticism about the veracity of information from government sources and the scientific community. Work site comparisons show that where educational programs are minimal, employees know less about HIV transmission and hold more negative attitudes. CONCLUSIONS Comprehensive workplace AIDS education programs can reinforce workers' knowledge about HIV transmission, thereby fostering more favorable views toward coworkers with AIDS.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009786	Occupational Health Services	Health services for employees, usually provided by the employer at the place of work.	Employee Assistance Programs (Health Care),Employee Health Services,Employment-Based Services,Health Services, Employee,Health Services, Occupational,Services, Employee Health,Services, Employment-Based,Services, Occupational Health,Assistance Program, Employee (Health Care),Assistance Programs, Employee (Health Care),Employee Assistance Program (Health Care),Employee Health Service,Employment Based Services,Employment-Based Service,Health Service, Employee,Health Service, Occupational,Occupational Health Service,Program, Employee Assistance (Health Care),Programs, Employee Assistance (Health Care),Service, Employee Health,Service, Employment-Based,Service, Occupational Health,Services, Employment Based
D010344	Patient Advocacy	Promotion and protection of the rights of patients, frequently through a legal process.	Patient Ombudsmen,Patient Representatives,Clinical Ombudsman,Patient Ombudsman,Advocacy, Patient,Ombudsman, Clinical,Ombudsman, Patient,Ombudsmen, Patient,Patient Representative,Representative, Patient,Representatives, Patient
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D005239	Fear	The affective response to an actual current external danger which subsides with the elimination of the threatening condition.	Threat Cues,Threat Sensitivity,Cue, Threat,Fears,Sensitivity, Threat,Threat Cue,Threat Sensitivities
D006266	Health Education	Education that increases the awareness and favorably influences the attitudes and knowledge relating to the improvement of health on a personal or community basis.	Community Health Education,Education, Health,Education, Community Health,Health Education, Community
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000163	Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome	An acquired defect of cellular immunity associated with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a CD4-positive T-lymphocyte count under 200 cells/microliter or less than 14% of total lymphocytes, and increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and malignant neoplasms. Clinical manifestations also include emaciation (wasting) and dementia. These elements reflect criteria for AIDS as defined by the CDC in 1993.	AIDS,Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Acquired,Immunologic Deficiency Syndrome, Acquired,Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome,Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome,Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome,Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndromes,Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes,Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome, Acquired,Immuno-Deficiency Syndromes, Acquired,Immunodeficiency Syndromes, Acquired,Syndrome, Acquired Immuno-Deficiency,Syndrome, Acquired Immunodeficiency,Syndromes, Acquired Immuno-Deficiency,Syndromes, Acquired Immunodeficiency
D001294	Attitude to Health	Public attitudes toward health, disease, and the medical care system.	Health Attitude,Attitude, Health,Attitudes, Health,Health Attitudes,Health, Attitude to
D015397	Program Evaluation	Studies designed to assess the efficacy of programs. They may include the evaluation of cost-effectiveness, the extent to which objectives are met, or impact.	Evaluation, Program,Family Planning Program Evaluation,Program Appropriateness,Program Effectiveness,Program Sustainability,Appropriateness, Program,Effectiveness, Program,Evaluations, Program,Program Evaluations,Program Sustainabilities,Sustainabilities, Program,Sustainability, Program