last years rose. Moreover, in every survey, respondents demonstrated a high propensity to respond positively to questions on biomedically erroneous modes of transmission, and even to report spontaneously that HIV could be transmitted, for example, by the wind or by eating chicken (Messersmith et al., 1994).

In a regression analysis of WHO/GPA survey data, education was the strongest predictor of accuracy about ways of contracting HIV, both correct and incorrect. Despite fears that a belief in casual transmission will act as a disincentive to protect oneself from contracting HIV sexually, such erroneous beliefs do not seem to be independently associated with a lack of behavior change.