Knowledge and Attitudes of Pre-Service Education Majors about AIDS: Implications for Curriculum Development

Abstract To meet the growing need for teacher preparation in AIDS education, this project focused on two important tasks: (1) assessment of education majors' knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS and (2) development of preservice HIV/AIDS curricular guidelines. The first part of this project surveyed 216 elementary, health/physical education, and school health majors enrolled in health education courses. The Knowledge and Attitudes of Preservice Education Majors About AIDS survey instrument was administered to health education, health/physical education, and elementary majors in Spring 1990. This survey examined a variety of issues related to AIDS education including symptomatology, modes of transmission, risk behaviors, consequences, prevention and control measures, classroom policies as well as attitudes toward testing confidentiality, providing support, interactions with AIDS infected persons, and comfort level with HIV/AIDS classroom instruction. The survey provided information for development of pre...