Psychological Reports, 1991, 69, 198. O Psydlolog~calReports 1991
WHO WOULD HAVE A TEST FOR HIV: A STUDY O F POLICE OFFICERS ' DAVID LESTER AND JAMES PITTS
Richard Sfockton State College Summary.-69% of a sample of 54 male and 9 female police officers would have an anonymous test for AIDS. W i g n e s s to have a test was associated with general self-protective behavior.
Police officers have expressed concern over contracting AIDS from suspects. To explore the strength of this concern, all 54 male and 9 female police officers (28 whlte and 35 black; M,, = 35.1 yr., SD = 8.2) in a large department were asked whether they would have a free test for the HIV if the results were anonymous or if they could be identified. In this sample, 69% would have the anonymous test and 39% the nonanonymous test. Wdhngness to have the test was not associated with age, sex, rank, scores on the Zung (1965) Self-rating Depression Scale, or Rotter's (1966) locus of control scores (Pearson rs = -0.03, -0.08, -0.17, 0.11, -0.07). White officers were less likely to have the nonanonymous test (r = -0.27, p < .05). A wdlingness to have the nonanonymous test was associated with regular use of a seat belt, avoiding salt, sugar, and cholesterol in food, abstaining from tobacco use, and avoiding drinking while driving but was not associated with exercising, having regular medical checkups, using drugs, engaging in unsafe sex, or suicidal preoccupation (r = 0.36 for the association with an over-all score for self-protective behaviors, M for self-protection score 1.45, SD 3.25). From these data, willingness to have an HIV test was not associated with personality test scores but rather with habits of self-protection. REFERENCES ROT~ER, J. B. Generalized ex ectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Prychological hfonograp 1966, 80, No. 1 (Whole No. 609). ZUNG,W. W. A self-rating depression scale. Archives ojGenernl Psychiatry, 1965, 12, 63-70.
A,
Accepted August 8, 1991.
'Address correspondence to D. Lester, Ph.D., Richard Stockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240-9988. A table of the correlations with all variables is on file in Document NAPS-04891. Remit $7.75 for photoco y or $4.00 for fiche to Microfiche Publications, POB 3513, Grand Central Station, New ~orl!, NY 10163.
WHO WOULD HAVE A TEST FOR HIV: A STUDY O F POLICE OFFICERS ' DAVID LESTER AND JAMES PITTS
Richard Sfockton State College Summary.-69% of a sample of 54 male and 9 female police officers would have an anonymous test for AIDS. W i g n e s s to have a test was associated with general self-protective behavior.
Police officers have expressed concern over contracting AIDS from suspects. To explore the strength of this concern, all 54 male and 9 female police officers (28 whlte and 35 black; M,, = 35.1 yr., SD = 8.2) in a large department were asked whether they would have a free test for the HIV if the results were anonymous or if they could be identified. In this sample, 69% would have the anonymous test and 39% the nonanonymous test. Wdhngness to have the test was not associated with age, sex, rank, scores on the Zung (1965) Self-rating Depression Scale, or Rotter's (1966) locus of control scores (Pearson rs = -0.03, -0.08, -0.17, 0.11, -0.07). White officers were less likely to have the nonanonymous test (r = -0.27, p < .05). A wdlingness to have the nonanonymous test was associated with regular use of a seat belt, avoiding salt, sugar, and cholesterol in food, abstaining from tobacco use, and avoiding drinking while driving but was not associated with exercising, having regular medical checkups, using drugs, engaging in unsafe sex, or suicidal preoccupation (r = 0.36 for the association with an over-all score for self-protective behaviors, M for self-protection score 1.45, SD 3.25). From these data, willingness to have an HIV test was not associated with personality test scores but rather with habits of self-protection. REFERENCES ROT~ER, J. B. Generalized ex ectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Prychological hfonograp 1966, 80, No. 1 (Whole No. 609). ZUNG,W. W. A self-rating depression scale. Archives ojGenernl Psychiatry, 1965, 12, 63-70.
A,
Accepted August 8, 1991.
'Address correspondence to D. Lester, Ph.D., Richard Stockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240-9988. A table of the correlations with all variables is on file in Document NAPS-04891. Remit $7.75 for photoco y or $4.00 for fiche to Microfiche Publications, POB 3513, Grand Central Station, New ~orl!, NY 10163.
