AIDS EDUCATION FOR 3 HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS

The U.S. General Accounting Office recently published a seven-step model for preventive AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) education targeted to three high-risk populations: intravenous drug users, racial/ethnic minorities, and adolescents. The model was drawn from prior research on the social psychology of health practices and the effectiveness of campaigns to prevent drug abuse, smoking, and other public-health problems. The seven steps in the model are: identify the target group as precisely as possible, identify the attitudes or behaviors placing that group at risk, select the media most likely to reach the group, provide appropriate factual information, provide skills for reducing AIDS risk, provide motivators for reducing AIDS risk, and identify cognitive and behavioral outcomes appropriate for the group. © 1990.