Abstract
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids) is a social phenomenon that goes beyond disease concept, constituting a stigma for those with the diagnosis. As a public health problem that affects age groups, socioeconomic classes and societies indiscriminately, Aids is an endless area of study and research. This research is based on the social representations theory, focusing on the subjective content representations of social groups affected by the interaction between scientific knowledge and common sense. The objective of this research was to analyze social representations of Aids, health and disease for 20 Psychology students. Data analysis was done through content analysis, and results showed that knowledge about Aids does not always result in safer behaviors and social representations of Aids showed prejudice and stereotypes, identifying Aids as a disease of the others and present in social imagination, hindering social interaction with people with HIV/ Aids. These results suggest a reflection on educational and preventive campaigns.
social representations; AIDS; health
