Table 3 AIDS knowledge levels by educational status of the respondents
From: AIDS knowledge and attitudes in a Turkish population: an epidemiological study
General knowledge items on HIV/AIDS and the proportions of those who answered correctly | Illiterate n(%) 20(1.9) | Primary n(%) 125(11.9) | Secondary n(%) 119(11.4) | High school n(%) 280(26.7) | Higher school n(%) 504(48.1) | Those answering correctly n(%) 1048(100.0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 A virus causes AIDS‡ | 15(75.0) | 72(57.6) | 65(54.6) | 203(72.5) | 439(87.1) | 794(75.8) |
2 AIDS is a contagious disease‡ | 18(90.0) | 108(86.4) | 106(89.1) | 249(88.9) | 483(95.8) | 964(92.0) |
3 AIDS is a hereditary disease‡ | 6(30.0) | 34(27.2) | 37(31.1) | 125(44.6) | 294(58.3) | 496(47.3) |
4 There is an active treatment for AIDS‡ | 8(40.0) | 50(40.0) | 44(37.0) | 153(54.6) | 290(57.5) | 545(52.0) |
5 AIDS is mostly seen in developing or underdeveloped countries, mostly in countries least able to afford to care for infected peoplef | 9(45.0) | 62(49.6) | 50(42.0) | 138(49.3) | 252(50.0) | 511(48.8) |
6 AIDS is not a serious disease. It is a simple disease like the common cold‡ | 13(65.0) | 93(74.4) | 83(69.7) | 237(84.6) | 478(94.8) | 904(86.3) |
7 A person infected with HIV does not usually show any symptoms of the diseasef | 10(50.0) | 40(32.0) | 29(24.4) | 86(30.7) | 175(34.7) | 340(32.4) |
8 Resistance to the other diseases in an individual with AIDS is rather low† | 12(60.0) | 87(69.6) | 68(57.1) | 198(70.7) | 362(71.8) | 727(69.4) |
9 There is a vaccine for AIDS‡ | 8(40.0) | 56(44.8) | 62(52.1) | 195(69.6) | 416(82.5) | 737(70.3) |
10 We can distinguish AIDS patients from others by their appearance‡ | 7(35.0) | 39(31.2) | 51(42.9) | 144(51.4) | 320(63.5) | 561(53.5) |
11 The ELISA test is used to check for the HIV virus in the blood‡ | 10(50.0) | 58(46.4) | 59(49.6) | 165(58.9) | 408(81.0) | 700(66.8) |
12 Urine, X-ray, total blood count and biochemistry analyses are used to check for the HIV virus in the blood‡ | 3(15.0) | 33(26.4) | 38(31.9) | 84(30.0) | 275(54.6) | 433(41.3) |
HIV/AIDS can be contacted through: | ||||||
13 Sharing public toilets and swimming pools with an infected person‡ | 8(40.0) | 43(34.4) | 51(42.9) | 145(51.8) | 313(62.1) | 560(53.4) |
14 Using an infected person's belongings such as clothes, comb, underwear and towel‡ | 5(25.0) | 45(36.0) | 51(42.9) | 139(49.6) | 328(65.1) | 568(54.2) |
15 Sharing a razor blade with an infected person‡ | 13(65.0) | 85(68.0) | 72(60.5) | 203(72.5) | 407(80.8) | 780(74.4) |
16 Touching an infected person, such as hugging, holding and shaking hands‡ | 9(45.0) | 54(43.2) | 60(50.4) | 182(65.0) | 413(81.9) | 718(68.5) |
17 Sharing the food utensils of an infected person‡ | 6(30.0) | 33(26.4) | 39(32.8) | 123(43.9) | 309(61.3) | 510(48.7) |
18 Exposure to an infected person who coughs or spits‡ | 7(35.0) | 39(31.2) | 45(37.8) | 121(43.2) | 319(63.3) | 531(50.7) |
19 Having a tattoo done with the same devices after an infected person‡ | 13(65.0) | 91(72.8) | 76(63.9) | 206(73.6) | 412(81.7) | 798(76.1) |
20 The bite of a mosquitof | 7(35.0) | 49(39.2) | 52(43.7) | 126(45.0) | 234(46.4) | 468(44.7) |
21 Sharing the injection needles or surgical operation devices of an infected personf | 15(75.0) | 110(88.0) | 95(79.8) | 243(86.8) | 470(93.3) | 933(89.0) |
22 Having a tooth extracted with the same devices after an infected person† | 15(75.0) | 107(85.6) | 95(79.8) | 228(81.4) | 451(89.5) | 896(85.5) |
23 An infected pregnant woman's infecting her unborn baby† | 15(75.0) | 91(72.8) | 84(70.6) | 207(73.9) | 419(83.1) | 816(77.9) |
24 Donating the organs and tissue of an infected person to another person† | 15(75.0) | 91(72.8) | 83(69.7) | 211(75.4) | 419(83.1) | 819(78.1) |
25 Having vaginal sex with an infected person† | 18(90.0) | 117(93.6) | 105(88.2) | 261(93.2) | 487(96.6) | 988(94.3) |
26 Having oral sex with an infected person† | 13(65.0) | 100(80.0) | 85(71.4) | 211(75.4) | 332(65.9) | 741(70.7) |
27 Having anal sex with an infected personf | 13(65.0) | 102(81.6) | 91(76.5) | 220(78.6) | 395(78.4) | 821(78.3) |
28 Receiving blood from an infected person‡ | 18(90.0) | 114(91.2) | 102(85.7) | 260(92.9) | 487(96.6) | 981(93.6) |
29 The vaginal liquid of an infected personf | 16(80.0) | 116(92.8) | 104(87.4) | 259(92.5) | 464(92.1) | 959(91.5) |
30 The sperm of an infected personf | 18(90.0) | 111(88.8) | 104(87.4) | 263(93.9) | 454(90.1) | 950(90.6) |
31 The urine of an infected person‡ | 9(45.0) | 42(33.6) | 46(38.7) | 131(46.8) | 277(55.0) | 505(48.2) |
32 The tears of an infected person‡ | 10(50.0) | 62(49.6) | 62(52.1) | 167(59.6) | 358(71.0) | 659(62.9) |
33 The mucus or nasal fluid of an infected person‡ | 10(50.0) | 56(44.8) | 61(51.3) | 163(58.2) | 362(71.8) | 652(62.2) |
34 The breast milk of an infected person† | 8(40.0) | 56(44.8) | 46(38.7) | 112(40.0) | 150(29.8) | 657(62.7) |