title: Fear of contagion: the public response to AIDS.
abstract: The threat of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has triggered a specific public response: fear of contagion, an anxiety over the perceived threat of catching the disease. Four behaviors characterize this fear: avoidance, attempting extreme precautions, lack of regard for the victims, and expressions of fear of catching the disease. Social and cultural values, which attach a deep symbolic meaning to AIDS, combine with misperceptions about transmission to create this public reaction. This fear results in the isolation and rejection of AIDS and potential AIDS clients. Fear of contagion may be a useful concept in nursing interventions for motivating risk-reduction behavior and creating a more therapeutic environment for persons with AIDS. Agendas for nursing research are suggested.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Meisenhelder
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: LaCharite
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000451:nursing / Q000635:transmission*; D005239:Fear; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011639:Public Opinion; D012945:Social Values