AIDS AND THE COLLEGE STUDENT: KNOWLEDGE, BELIEFS, AND INFORMATION SEEKING
AIDS AND THE COLLEGE STUDENT: KNOWLEDGE, BELIEFS, AND INFORMATION SEEKING
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Date
1989
Authors
Shelnutt, Emily Houston
Advisor
Beck, Kenneth H.
Citation
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Abstract
A questionnaire on knowledge, beliefs, and information-seeking
behavior about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was
administered to a total of 1,300 university students, and 1,001 were
completed and returned. The aim of the study was to investigate the
relationship between college students' knowledge and beliefs about
AIDS and their information-seeking behavior about AIDS. Students were
found to be knowledgeable about the disease, but the majority (50.5%)
were not worried about contracting AIDS. The findings revealed that
students who are more knowledgeable about AIDS seek more information
than those less knowledgeable about AIDS. It was also found that
students who feel more highly susceptible to AIDS are more likely to
seek information about the disease. The primary sources of student
information on AIDS were television, newspapers, magazines, and radio;
however, doctors and health-care professionals were considered the
most trust-worthy sources of AIDS information. The data suggest that
medically supported information on AIDS should be provided to college
students by health educators via the popular media sources.