Reply #: Study Finds Conspiracy Beliefs Among African Americans Deter Condom Use

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These wacked out theories are costing lives.

STUDY BY RAND AND OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY FINDS CONSPIRACY BELIEFS AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS DETER CONDOM USE

Significant numbers of African Americans believe in conspiracy theories about AIDS, and black men with such beliefs are less likely to use condoms as a precaution against spreading the HIV virus, according to a study issued today by the RAND Corporation and Oregon State University.
http://rand.org/news/press.05/01.25.html

The study was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and appears in the Feb. 1 edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. It is the most thorough examination of the types of AIDS conspiracy theories held by African Americans, and is the first to also examine the relationship of those beliefs to the use of condoms. More men than women believe in the conspiracy theories, the study found.

Researchers conducted a national telephone survey of a scientifically selected random sample of 500 African Americans ages 15-44 from around the United States. Those surveyed were asked a series of questions about whether they agreed or disagreed with specific HIV/AIDS myths. The survey of African Americans found that:

* About 59 percent agreed with the statement that “a lot of information about AIDS is being held back from the public.”
* 53 percent agreed that “there is a cure for AIDS, but it is being withheld from the poor.”
* Nearly 27 percent agreed that “AIDS was produced in a government laboratory.”
* About 16 percent agreed that AIDS was created by the government to control the black population.
* About 15 percent agreed that AIDS is a form of genocide against African Americans.

“These beliefs are widespread and demonstrate substantial mistrust of the health care system among African Americans,” said Laura Bogart, a RAND Health psychologist and lead author of the study. “For HIV prevention efforts to be successful, these beliefs need to be discussed openly, because people who do not trust the health care system may be less likely to listen to public health messages. This includes messages about HIV prevention.”

African American men who agreed with conspiracy myths were significantly less likely to report that they use condoms regularly. This was not the case among African American women.