PsychologicalReports, 1991, 68, 138.
O Psychological Reports 1991
WHO DOES HAVE A TEST FOR AIDS? DAVID F. DUNCAN
Illinois Primary Health Care Association' Summary.-Of 184 persons (18 to 78 yr.) presenting at one site for HIV testing, 112 were men, 173 were white, and 179 were HIV-. Principal risk groups identified were 53 gay/bisexual males, 46 with multiple heterosexual sex partners, and 33 transfusion recipients. Lester (1989) explored the correlates of expressed willingness to seek a test for AIDS in a sample of college students. He found that men were more willing than women to be tested and that more students expressed a willingness to be tested in an anonymous testing program. The relationship between such reasoned intentions and actual later behavior, however, remains uncertain (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). This report provides a description of some of the characteristics of 184 persons actually presenting for HIV testing during a one-year period at a voluntary anonymous testing program serving southern Illinois. The tests were negative for 179 subjects (97.3%), positive for 3 (1.6%), equivocal for 1 (0.5%), and incomplete for 1 (0.5%). The subjects ranged in age from 18 to 78 years, with a mean age of 43 years and a median age of 34 years. This is similar to the population of the region. White subjecrs were predominant (173 persons; 94.0%), plus 9 black (4.8%) and 2 Hispanic persons ( 1 0%), these proportions also resemble the demographic characteristics of the region. A major~tywere men (112; 60.8%). In this, as in Lester's study, the predominance of men seems to be the one identifiable characteristic of those persons likely to have a test for AIDS One or more AIDS risk behaviors were reported by 162 (88 0%) of the subjects. The potentially stigmatizing concept of high-risk group should be used w ~ t hcaution (Duncan, 1988), but the self-~dent~lled risk group memberships of the subjects were 53 (28.8%) gay or bisexual males, 46 (25 0%) with multiple heterosexual sex partners, 33 (17.9%) transfusion recip~enrs, 28 (15.2%) w~chmultiple gay sex partners, 15 (8.1%) with occupational exposures, 11 15 9%) with an HIV + sexual partner, and 6 (3.3%) intravenous drug abusers. REFERENCES
DUNCAN, D. F. (1988) Epidemiology: basis for disease prevention and health promotion. New York: Macrnillan. & AJZEN, I. (1975) Belief; attitude, intention, and behavior. Reading, MA: Addison-\Vedey. LESTER, D. (1389) Who would have a test for AIDS? Psychological Reports, 65, 810.
FISHBEIN,M.,
Accepted January 23, 1991.
'517 North Michaels, Carbondale, IL 62901-1352.
O Psychological Reports 1991
WHO DOES HAVE A TEST FOR AIDS? DAVID F. DUNCAN
Illinois Primary Health Care Association' Summary.-Of 184 persons (18 to 78 yr.) presenting at one site for HIV testing, 112 were men, 173 were white, and 179 were HIV-. Principal risk groups identified were 53 gay/bisexual males, 46 with multiple heterosexual sex partners, and 33 transfusion recipients. Lester (1989) explored the correlates of expressed willingness to seek a test for AIDS in a sample of college students. He found that men were more willing than women to be tested and that more students expressed a willingness to be tested in an anonymous testing program. The relationship between such reasoned intentions and actual later behavior, however, remains uncertain (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). This report provides a description of some of the characteristics of 184 persons actually presenting for HIV testing during a one-year period at a voluntary anonymous testing program serving southern Illinois. The tests were negative for 179 subjects (97.3%), positive for 3 (1.6%), equivocal for 1 (0.5%), and incomplete for 1 (0.5%). The subjects ranged in age from 18 to 78 years, with a mean age of 43 years and a median age of 34 years. This is similar to the population of the region. White subjecrs were predominant (173 persons; 94.0%), plus 9 black (4.8%) and 2 Hispanic persons ( 1 0%), these proportions also resemble the demographic characteristics of the region. A major~tywere men (112; 60.8%). In this, as in Lester's study, the predominance of men seems to be the one identifiable characteristic of those persons likely to have a test for AIDS One or more AIDS risk behaviors were reported by 162 (88 0%) of the subjects. The potentially stigmatizing concept of high-risk group should be used w ~ t hcaution (Duncan, 1988), but the self-~dent~lled risk group memberships of the subjects were 53 (28.8%) gay or bisexual males, 46 (25 0%) with multiple heterosexual sex partners, 33 (17.9%) transfusion recip~enrs, 28 (15.2%) w~chmultiple gay sex partners, 15 (8.1%) with occupational exposures, 11 15 9%) with an HIV + sexual partner, and 6 (3.3%) intravenous drug abusers. REFERENCES
DUNCAN, D. F. (1988) Epidemiology: basis for disease prevention and health promotion. New York: Macrnillan. & AJZEN, I. (1975) Belief; attitude, intention, and behavior. Reading, MA: Addison-\Vedey. LESTER, D. (1389) Who would have a test for AIDS? Psychological Reports, 65, 810.
FISHBEIN,M.,
Accepted January 23, 1991.
'517 North Michaels, Carbondale, IL 62901-1352.
