Knowledge and attitudes about AIDS among staff of community-based health and social service organizations in the Southwest: implications for staff training.

To ascertain the specific AIDS training needs of staff from community-based organizations in the Southwest, a survey of knowledge and attitudes was conducted by the National Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human Services Organizations (COSSMHO) in the 5 Southwestern cities of Albuquerque, El Paso, Phoenix, San Diego, and Tucson. The responses of 1057 staff were examined according to staff position: managerial, direct service, clerical, and volunteer. Staff were 60.3% Hispanic/Latino and 28.4% white non-Hispanic. Staff responses were examined on 3 dimensions of AIDS-related knowledge and on 3 attitudinal dimensions. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) that controlled for 4 sources of group nonequivalence revealed generally that managers and direct service staff had higher knowledge and more favorable attitudes than did clerical and volunteer staff. Of greatest concern, however, was the number of specific knowledge items for which all staff obtained less than 80% correct answers. Disturbing knowledge deficits exist on important AIDS-related information across all levels of staff. Specific content and strategies are presented for corrective interventions by staff type.