The AIDS virus is spread by human behaviors enacted in a variety of social situations. In order to prevent further infection, we need to know more about these behaviors. This volume explores what is known about the number of people infected, risk-associated behaviors, facilitation of behavioral change, and barriers to more effective prevention efforts.

Expanding on the 1989 National Research Council volume AIDS, Sexual Behavior, and Intravenous Drug Use, this book reports on changing patterns in the distribution of cases and the results of intervention efforts under way. It focuses on two important subpopulations that are becoming more and more at risk: adolescents and women. The committee also reviews strategies to protect blood supplies and to improve the quality of surveys used in AIDS research. AIDS: The Second Decade updates trends in AIDS cases and HIV infection among the homosexual community, intravenous drug users, women, minorities, and other groups; presents an overview of a wide range of behavioral intervention strategies directed at specific groups; discusses discrimination against people with AIDS and HIV infection; and presents available data on the proportion of teenagers engaging in the behaviors that can transmit the virus and on female prostitutes and HIV infection.

Suggests that the intervention to help intravenous drug users to modify their behaviour to reduce the risk of AIDS infection should be community- based - this being the best way to affect the behaviour of people who decide not to avail themselves of the services of drug treatment centres.