Coverage of AIDS in Popular African American Magazines

Abstract

Understanding AIDS coverage by popular magazines that target readership in the African American population can be helpful to health and medical professionals, social workers, and journalists to better use popular magazines in disseminating HIV and AIDS information. Coverage of HIV and AIDS by 5 popular monthly magazines was examined between January 1981 and December 1994. Based on the number of articles published in the magazines, their coverage could be categorized into 3 distinct coverage periods. Although the magazines published several types of articles, the majority of the information fell into 4 content categories, thereby often reinforcing existing information and not adding to it. Similarly, an analysis of the terminology used to describe HIV, AIDS, and the people living with HIV and AIDS indicated that little has changed over the years.