Support for condom availability and needle exchange programs among Massachusetts adults, 1997
Orner, M.B.; Meehan, T.; Brooks, D.R.; Mucci, L.A.; McGuire, J.F.
Aids Education and Prevention Official Publication of the International Society for Aids Education 13(4): 365-376
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0899-9546 PMID: 11565595 Document Number: 532640
This study was conducted to determine whether demographic factors, variables related to HIV risk status, or personal attitudes predicted public support for condom availability programs in high schools and needle exchange programs. Data for these analyses were collected from the 1997 Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) among adults aged 18-64. Overall, 79% of Massachusetts adults aged 18-64 supported condom availability programs, and 60% supported needle exchange programs. Younger age was the strongest demographic predictor of support for condom availability, and higher socioeconomic status was the strongest predictor of support for needle exchange programs. Support for both programs was weakly associated with personal HIV risk status but strongly associated with positive attitudes toward teaching about HIV in schools and advising sexually active teens to use condoms. Our data suggest that there is broad-based public support for implementation of condom availability and needle exchange programs as tools for HIV prevention.