The Nation - News from Nov. 27, 1988

The effort to educate Americans about AIDS has created overwhelming awareness of how the disease is spread, but many still harbor misconceptions about it, according to the latest Gallup Poll. More than 38% currently are concerned they will get AIDS, statistically unchanged from 42% last year. Although fear of contagion has not increased, far more now (69%) than a year ago (51%) think it is likely AIDS will become a nationwide epidemic. Asked how AIDS can be spread, 96% cite the sharing of hypodermic needles, 95% cite homosexual relations, 92% say heterosexual relations and 91% say receiving blood transfusions. However, 29% believe donating blood can lead to infection, 18% say it can be caught from a drinking glass and 15% say from a toilet seat. Fourteen percent see a risk in being coughed or sneezed on, while 5% believe working near AIDS victims can bring on the disease, the survey said.