National AIDS education campaign benchmark survey 1986-1987: assault phase survey

In the early 1980's the Commonwealth and State Governments moved rapidly to provide information to groups at high-risk of contracting the AIDS virus. The AIDS Task Force and NACAIDS then decided that a comprehensive education campaign to inform the public about AIDS was necessary. These studies (SSDA No. 564 - 569) were commissioned in 1986 to provide information to develop strategies for AIDS prevention education and to provide a benchmark against which to measure the effectiveness of the National AIDS Education Program. This study is a follow-up to the benchmark surveys (SSDA No. 564 to 568) conducted 1986 to 1987 prior to the launch on the 'assault' phase of the AIDS education campaign. It assesses the effectiveness of the assault phase. The data collected cover: levels of awareness of AIDS, knowledge of what constitutes high risk behaviour; knowledge why high risk behaviour increases the likelihood of transmitting AIDS; sex education in schools; current sexual and drug use behaviour. Additional questions relating to the AIDS advertising campaign were also incorporated.