Social Aspects of the Prevention of AIDS Data

Abstract

These data were collected as part of the Social Aspects of Prevention of AIDS (SAPA) project, which aimed to provide background information for AIDS prevention and education strategies. Main variables included sexual identity, gay community and social involvement, sexual practice - enjoyment, frequency (regular and casual partners) and sexual history, media exposure, general AIDS knowledge and attitudes, ''safe-sex'' knowledge and practice, change in sexual practice, sex with women, prostitution, health practices, drugs, testing, relationship to people with AIDS. Background variables include region, age, ethnicity, country of birth, income, labour force status, occupation, education level, marital status, parenthood, religion and household size. Sample Population: Men involved in some homosexual practice during the last five years from Sydney, extra-metropolitan NSW and ACT. Sampling Procedures: For the initial study volunteers were recruited using a 'snowball' approach from starting-points where some of the population could certainly be reached. These starting points included advertising and stories in the gay press and on gay radio; distribution of cards at clinics, venues, at gay community functions etc. inviting participation; circulars and visits to gay men's groups and organisations - social, sporting, motoring, health, etc.; personal networks; and through mainstream mass media. Two main measures were taken to achieve representativeness: (a) diversifying the starting-points as widely as possible and (b) monitoring social characteristics of the sample during fieldwork so that corrections could be applied if necessary. For the supplementary study anyone who agreed to be followed up was contacted for further questions. Method of Data Collection: Face-to-face interview; telephone interview. Time Dimensions: One-time cross-sectional study; Follow-up to cross-sectional study. Kind of Data: Survey. Prior to moving to the University of New South Wales in 1998, NCHSR was located at Macquarie University. Projects as well as staff relocated to UNSW. This collection is archived in the Australian Social Science Data Archive (ASSDA).