Public knowledge about AIDS: a survey of dental school patients. Part I

Abstract

Surveys have demonstrated that the general public has many misconceptions about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Education has been the mainstay of the public health effort to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS. Some studies have shown an increase in the public's understanding of this disease. A survey of dental patients at a dental school clinic revealed that although misconceptions continue to exist, particularly with regard to AIDS and the dentist, this population had higher levels of knowledge about AIDS than did those in earlier studies.