AP/Ipsos Poll On Threat Of HIV/AIDS

Washington, DC -- Half (52%) of Americans believe more people in the U.S. are being infected with HIV now than ten years ago. But results of this recent poll, conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs for the Associated Press, indicates that public education efforts may have some impact on the most at-risk communities, as young adults and ethnic minorities are among those most likely to describe the situation as urgent. Majority See No Decline In HIV Infection Rate Half (52%) of Americans believe more people in the U.S. are being infected with HIV now than ten years ago. A quarter (25%) say infection rates are about the same as a decade ago. Just one in five (20%) say fewer are being affected. Consistent with findings throughout this survey, members of ethnic minority groups (61%), people in low (59%) or moderate (56%) income households, and young adults (64% of under-30s) are especially likely to say more people are becoming infected. People with up to a high school education (61%) and residents of rural areas (62%) and to a lesser extent, the South (57%) also say more people are contracting HIV now. By contrast, residents of the Northeastern U.S. are relatively more inclined to think fewer people are being infected these days (29%). Nearly all Americans (94%) say that AIDS is a serious national health problem; six in ten (61%) say it is "very serious." Concern about AIDS is especially high among women (72% very serious), minorities (76%), and people with up to a high school education and low household income (73% each). Among registered voters, far more Democrats (71%) than Republicans (49%) say HIV/AIDS is a very serious national problem. Half Worry Their Child - Not Themselves - Could Become Infected Even "bearing in mind all the different ways people can become infected with HIV," half (52%) of Americans say they are not at all concerned with contracting the virus. Another quarter are not too concerned. About one in five (22%) are somewhat or very concerned about becoming infected with HIV, with this worry most acute among ethnic minorities (45%), people in low income households (30%), residents of urban areas (28%) and the Northeast (27%), as well as unmarried men (33%) and women (26%). There is much greater concern that young people are more at risk. Half (51%) are somewhat or very concerned that a son or daughter could become infected with HIV. This concern is substantially greater among minority (66%) than white (48%) respondents. Six in ten (60%) of those who are married with children are concerned. Four in ten (39%) say they personally know someone with HIV or AIDS. People who are in their middle age (51% of those between 40 and 65), have a college education (49%; 53% women graduates) and higher household income (51% of those over $75,000) are most likely to say they know someone with HIV or AIDS. People living in urban areas (46%) and the Deep South (43%) or Pacific (45%) regions are also more likely to report knowing someone with the disease. Many See Limited Progress Fighting HIV/AIDS Despite the progress in developing drugs to extend the quality and length of the life of people with AIDS, Americans are divided on how much progress has been made in fighting HIV and AIDS in the U.S. over the past ten years. A plurality (42%) say the situation is worse than it was a decade ago (31% better, 24% the same). Women (46%), non-whites (53%), people with less than a high school education (50%), and both under-30s (50%) and seniors (46%) tend to think the situation is worse than it was. Regionally, Southerners (48%) think the situation is worse, while Northeasterners are more inclined to think it is better (43%). Rural (49%) and urban (45%) residents are more inclined than suburbanites (38%) to say the AIDS situation is worse. The college-educated (39%; 43% male graduates) and those with a high household income (39%) are more inclined to say the HIV/AIDS situation in the U.S. is better today than ten years ago. Of those who believe the HIV/AIDS situation in the U.S. is better now, opinion is divided on whether prevention problems or medical research into new treatments is the more important factor behind this improvement. There may be some truth in the view of the one in ten who volunteer that both strategies have had a positive impact. College grads lean toward saying medical research and new treatments have had the greatest impact. Married men tend to say research (53%) is the most important reason, whereas unmarried men say prevention programs (57%) have been pivotal. Cancer Seen As More Important Research Priority Than HIV/AIDS But when it comes to how the federal government should spend its research dollars, more than twice as many Americans say the money should go to fight cancer (37%) than AIDS (14%). However, AIDS ranks as a priority alongside Alzheimer's disease, heart disease and obesity. Funding cancer research is given particular importance by people under 30 (47%), those with above-average income (44% of those with household income over $75,000) and residents of the South (43%) and the Great Plains and Mountain (44%) regions. Senior citizens (29% of those 65 and over) and women over 45 (25%) more often say Alzheimer's disease should be the top priority, while young adults (22% of 18-29 year olds), minorities (27%), unmarried men (22%) and residents of urban areas (22%) as well as the Northeastern (23%) and Pacific (19%) regions more often favor funding AIDS research. More Support Safe Sex Than Abstinence Programs By just over a five-to-four margin, Americans say public education programs aimed at reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS should encourage young people to practice safe sex (55%) rather than abstain from sex altogether (40%). People in their thirties (63%) and forties (60%) prefer efforts to focus on safe sex messages, although men under 45 (64%) are more likely than those over 45 (44%) to promote this approach. Overall, seniors favor an emphasis on abstinence (53%). In addition to people in higher income groups, unmarried people say the focus should be on safe sex; married men and women are more closely divided. Catholics (63%) say the focus should be on safe sex, while Protestants' views are split (46% safe sex, 50% abstinence). Favored approaches also vary by region. People in the Western U.S. (63%) - and the Pacific region (71%) in particular - say reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS among young people is best pursued through safe sex messages. By contrast, people in the Great Plains and Mountain region (53%) as well as the Oil Patch (58%) would focus public education on abstinence. City-dwellers prefer safe sex education (61%), while suburban and rural residents are more closely divided. Another key difference in these values is reflected in party preference: Republicans favor abstinence (60%) while Democrats prefer a focus on safe sex (70%). Two-Thirds Say U.S. Should Fund Fighting AIDS Abroad - But Not At Cost of U.S. Programs Two in three (65%) favor a proposal for the U.S. government to spend $15 billion to help fight HIV and AIDS in developing countries. Among registered voters, Democrats (75%) favor funding international HIV/AIDS prevention, as does a smaller majority of Republicans (63%), while Independents are evenly divided (47% favor, 48% oppose). However, if a choice has to be made, 63% say this spending on international AIDS should not come at the expense of fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS in the United States. The Associated Press Poll is conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs. Between July 19-21, 2004, the AP/Ipsos poll interviewed a representative sample of 1,002 adults. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 for all adults. For more information on this press release, please contact: Janice Bell Director, Ipsos Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 202.463.7300 About Ipsos Public Affairs Ipsos Public Affairs, headquartered in Washington D.C., is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research company made up of campaign and political polling veterans as well as seasoned research professionals. 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