Title

Ethnic and Sex Differences in University Students’ Knowledge of AIDS, Fear of AIDS, and Homophobia

Department/School

Justice and Society Studies

Date

1-1-1999

Document Type

Article

Keywords

AIDS knowledge, fear of AIDS, AIDS education, sex differences, ethnicity differences

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1300/J082v37n03_07

Abstract

One hundred ninety students at a southwestern urban university participated in a study that investigated ethnicity and sex differences in AIDS-related variables: AIDS knowledge, fear of AIDS, and homophobia. Analysis of data (ANOVA) revealed that African-Americans had significantly lower scores on measures of AIDS knowledge and were significantly more homophobic, compared to Caucasian students. African-Americans also had lower average AIDS knowledge scores than Hispanics. Women had a lower fear of AIDS than men. Relationships between homophobia and fear of AIDS on the one hand, and AIDS knowledge on the other hand, were low and counter-intuitive for African-Americans and Hispanics. This suggests the need for differential efforts in AIDS education programs targeting these groups.

Volume

37

Issue

3

Published in

Journal of Homosexuality

Citation/Other Information

Waldner, Lisa K., Anjoo Sikka, and Salmon Baig. 1999. “Ethnic and Sex Differences in University Students’ Knowledge of AIDS, Fear of AIDS, and Homophobia.” Journal of Homosexuality 37(3): 117-33.

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