A comparison between a 1986 and 1989 cohort of inner-city adolescent females on knowledge, beliefs, and risk factors for AIDS

• Published in: Journal of adolescence (London, England.) Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 19 - 28
• Main Authors: Weinman, Maxine L., Smith, Peggy B., Mumford, David M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.1992; Elsevier Science; Academic Press for the Association for the Psychiatric Study of Adolescents; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology; Adolescent; Adolescents; AIDS; aids education; AIDS/HIV; At Risk Persons; attitudes and opinions; Beliefs; Biological and medical sciences; Black White Differences; Blacks; Central Cities; Children & youth; Cohort Studies; counseling; disease prevention; Ethnic Groups; Female; Females; girls; health beliefs; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hispanics; Houston, Texas; human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Inner City; Knowledge; Knowledge Level; low income households; Medical sciences; nationalities and ethnic groups; risk; Risk Factors; sex education; Sexual Behavior; sexual transmission; Sexuality; Social research; Trend Analysis; trends; urban areas; Urban Population; Whites; Women; Texas; Human; Belief; Urban environment; Sexual behavior; AIDS; Health education; Inquiry; Knowledge; Ethnic group; Infection; Prevention; Number; Viral disease; Adolescent; Risk factor; Sex partner; Female; Comparative study; Public health
• ISSN: 0140-1971; 1095-9254
• DOI: 10.1016/0140-1971(92)90062-A

In order to assess changes from 1986 to 1989 in knowledge, beliefs, and risk factors for AIDS, the responses of inner-city adolescent girls were compared. Although 63% of the 1989 cohort received AIDS education in school, the base knowledge of the two cohorts was not markedly different. Between 1986 and 1989, the number of sexual partners increased for adolescents of all ethnic groups, yet concerns about AIDS showed a decline. Those adolescents who had the highest number of sexual partners were also those who had the most knowledge and most concerns about AIDS. Implications for preventive education focus on ethnic diversity and gaps between adolescent knowledge and behavior.