Issues Concerning CDC's AIDS Education Programs

GAO discussed the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) education programs designed to limit the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). GAO found that: (1) the CDC budget for AIDS activities grew from about $13.8 million in fiscal year (FY) 1984 to about $305 million in FY 1988; (2) education programs that targeted high-risk groups accounted for most of the CDC AIDS education budget; (3) CDC assigned an insufficient number of staff to monitor state and local health departments and advise them on how to develop and create effective AIDS education programs; (4) the state and local departments had limited baseline data on the level of community knowledge about AIDS and on the level of behavior practices that spread HIV; (5) the lack of baseline data limited the ability of CDC and the health departments to identify specific needs for AIDS health education, set priorities, establish objectives, and evaluate results; and (6) health departments conducted an insufficient amount of counseling and testing of high-risk groups. GAO believes that: (1) the federal government should take the lead in identifying and promoting effective AIDS education and counseling approaches; and (2) CDC should continue to evaluate AIDS education and counseling approaches and to modify its requirements and guidelines.