Volume 26, Issue 5: October, 1999

Abstract

DO BLACK AND WHITE ADULTS USE THE SAME SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT AIDS PREVENTION?

William E. Cunningham, MD, MPH, Pamela L. Davidson, PhD, Terry T. Nakazono, MA, Ronald M. Andersen, PhD

Address reprint requests to:
William E. Cunningham, Room 31-254A, Center for Health Sciences, Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health and Department of Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095; phone: (310) 206-1632; fax: (310) 825-3317; e-mail: wcunning@medicine.medsch.ucla.edu

Although AIDS prevention campaigns need to target population segments that are at highest risk to be effective, little is known about how various sources of AIDS information vary by race, education, and age. To determine the most common communication channels for AIDS information reported by Blacks and Whites, the authors interviewed 1,769 adults in Baltimore, Maryland, to obtain data on nine common sources of information about AIDS and analyzed their reports by race, age, and education. Television and newspapers were the most common sources but varied little across groups. National and local public health agencies, as well as medical doctors and dentists, were more commonly reported by Blacks than by Whites. Religious organizations were much more commonly reported by Blacks than by Whites. Public health organizations working collaboratively with religious organizations and health care providers might be more effective in developing AIDS prevention strategies than has been considered previously.