HIV/AIDS related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among African american women of different age groups

This study was conducted to examine the differences in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding HIV/AIDS among African American women of different age groups. The HIV/AIDS Questionnaire, developed by the researcher, was administered to a nonrandomized sample of 60 African American females who utilized the services of a large community center in North Texas. Three scales within the HIV/AIDS Questionnaire measured levels of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among two groups of women, those <35 years of age and those >35 years of age. Descriptive statistics and t-tests were used to analyze the data. Significant differences were found between the two age groups for the Knowledge scale and the Behavior scale. Mean scores on the Knowledge scale were moderate. A higher mean score on the Attitudes scale indicated a higher or more positive attitude towards individuals or issues regarding HIV/AIDS. An extremely low mean score existed for the Behaviors scale, indicating a low level of risk behaviors.