The Nation - News from July 20, 1988

The government brochure, “Understanding AIDS,” was read by about eight in 10 adults (82%) who recall receiving it, with half of this group (51%) reporting they discussed its contents with friends or other family members, according to a recent Gallup poll. One third of those who read the pamphlet feel it enhanced their knowledge about AIDS “a great deal” (11%) or “quite a lot”’ (22%), while 45% say it added “not very much” and 20% “not at all” to their understanding of the disease. In late May, the federal government began sending an 8-page brochure, “Understanding AIDS,” to 107 million homes throughout the United States, its first attempt to reach the entire populace by mail on a health issue.