title: Public knowledge about AIDS: a survey of dental school patients. Part I.
abstract: Surveys have demonstrated that the general public has many misconceptions about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Education has been the mainstay of the public health effort to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS. Some studies have shown an increase in the public's understanding of this disease. A survey of dental patients at a dental school clinic revealed that although misconceptions continue to exist, particularly with regard to AIDS and the dentist, this population had higher levels of knowledge about AIDS than did those in earlier studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Medicine and Radiology, Louisiana State University, School of Dentistry, New Orleans.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Barsley
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Boozer
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lundgren
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States