Reports on HIV/AIDS: 1990

JUNE 15,1990, MMWR, Vol. 39, No. 23, pp. 385-389, 395-397
HIV-Related Knowledge and Behaviors
Among High School Students - Selected U.S. Sites, 1989
Since 1987, state, territorial, and local departments of education have periodically
assessed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related knowledge and behaviors
among high school students (13-18 years of age) in their jurisdictions (1). This report
presents selected data from surveys conducted by departments of education in 30
states, 10 cities, and two territories during February-May 1989.
A questionnaire for anonymous self-administration was developed by representatives from 71 state, territorial, and local departments of education, with technical
assistance from CDC. The questionnaire contained 39 questions: five for assessing
demographic characteristics of respondents, 26 for HIV-related knowledge and
beliefs, and eight for intravenous (IV)-drug use and sexual behaviors. Each department of education chose which of the 39 questions to administer: all sites administered questions that assessed demographic characteristics and HIV-related knowledge and beliefs; 25 sites, questions that assessed IV-drug-use behaviors; and 19
sites, questions that assessed sexual behaviors.
Sampling schemes varied among the 42 sites. Eleven sites* drew probability
samples from well-defined sampling frames of schools and students, which allowed
weighted results of known precision to be computed. Ten sitest also drew probability
samples of both schools and students. However, documentation necessary to weight
the data or to estimate precision was not available. In general, the 21 other sites5 drew
nonprobability samples of either schools or students.
School response rates ranged from 27% to 100%; student response rates ranged
from 41% to 92%. Sample sizes ranged from 303 to 10,279 students (Table 1). From
33% to 86% (median: 62%) of students from all sites reported having been taught
about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or HIV infection in school. The
percentage of students from all sites who reported having discussed AIDS or HIV
infection with their parents or other adults in their families ranged from 43% to 69%
(median: 56%).
Varying proportions of students knew that AIDS or HIV infection cannot be transmitted by blood donation (32%-75% [median: 58%]), mosquito or other insect bites
(22%-67% [median: 48%]), use of public toilets (44%-85% [median: 73%]), or blood
tests (59%-82% [median: 73%]). Most students knew that AIDS or HIV infection can be
transmitted by sharing needles used to inject drugs (93%-100% [median: 98%]) or
from having sexual intercourse without using a condom (74%-98% [median: 88%])
(Table 2).
Rates of reported IV-drug use varied: 2%-5% of students (median: 3%) reported
ever injecting cocaine, heroin, or other illegal drugs, and 0.2%-3% (median: 0.9%)
reported sharing needles used to inject any drugs. In all but one site, more male than
female students reported these behaviors (Table 3).
*Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and
South Dakota; Dallas, Jersey City, and Miami.
tAlabama, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, and Rhode Island;
Chicago and Seattle.
'Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Utah, Virgin Islands, and Washington; Fort
Lauderdale, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, and San Francisco.

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