title: Perception of illness among secondary school pupils in South Africa: malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and alcoholism.
abstract: The study investigated beliefs of 121 high school students in Grade 11 about people who are ill with malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and alcoholism. The sample of Black pupils were chosen at random from two rural secondary schools in one region in the Northern Province of South Africa. Analysis indicated that HIV/AIDS was clearly distinguished from the other three illnesses by being seen as the least easily cured, having the most gradual onset, being the most contagious, showing the least look of illness, and the patients being likely those most blamed for their illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of the North, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa. PeltzerK@unin.unorth.ac.za
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peltzer
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa; D013240:Stereotyping; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000523:psychology*