Hearing impaired adolescents and AIDS

A questionnaire including simple questions about AIDS and a series of instructive figures, made by a doctor-member of the research team was distributed to 51 adolescents attending the "special" school for the deaf in Thessaloniki. The questionnaire was answered by 27 boys and girls, aged 14-22.

As a second step, we distributed a simple typed text about AIDS to all adolescents to read and then a speech with total method, that is oral and sign language, was given with simultaneous slide projection. A month later, the same questionnaire was distributed again and it was answered by exactly the same individuals.

Table 2 shows the answers to the question "where did you learn about AIDS from?" Before the informative procedure, the main sources of information were television (86,3%)and newspapers (78,4%). After the informative procedure, newspapers were stated to be the first source of information (88,2%)and school as the second (74,5%).

Evidently, the informative procedure that took place at school, urged the adolescents to look for some more information in the papers.

Table 3 shows the answers to the question "AIDS contamination?" Before the informative procedure, it was wrongly stated : by mosquito sting (52,9%), handshaking (43,2%), sea (43,2%), school (39,2%). After the informative procedure, the hearing impaired were much better informed and the rate of the above mentioned wrong answers was eliminated.

Table 4 shows the replies to the question "Who are mostly in danger to be contaminated with AIDS?" Before the informative procedure, it was stated that mostly the drug addicts (80,4%)and people with sexual relations without using a condom (80,4%).

It is worth mentioning that 27,4% answered that people having sexual relations with condom are in danger and 31,4% stated that everybody is in danger through normal social relations. After the informative procedure, it was stated that those in danger are : the homosexuals ones (88,2%), the drug addicts (88,2%), and those having sexual relations without condom (92,2%). At the same time, the wrong estimation regarding social relations and sexual relations with condom was eliminated.