目標：即使醫療科技高度發展，「預防」仍是疾病控制的最基本原則，而民眾對預防的信念亦攸關防治策略的設計與成效。本描述性研究旨在瞭解民眾對愛滋病及其他性病所持的「預防觀念」，以及對特殊預防策略「戴保險套」的意見與行為。方法：本研究之資料來自1997年及1998年兩次對全國20-70歲民眾之「健康信念與求醫行為」電話訪談。結果：(1)民眾多認為愛滋病的「可預防性」極高，且視預防比高科技的解決方式重要；(2)個人行為的控制 (自我約束) 乃最受民眾重視的防治途徑；但對政府的血液安全管制及他人行為所可能造成的危害較感無力；(3)民眾對保險套 之使用持相當肯定之態度，不過曾使用者絕大多數以避孕而非以預防性病為主要目的，男女性在這方面的行為差異極大；(4)身體及心理上的不適與不悅被一般民眾指出是保險套使用率低的主要原因，(5) 教育程度對民眾在預防的認知及信念扮演極重要的角色。結論：民眾目前正處於「準備就緒」的狀態，不但利於知識的宣導及教育，也助於態度與行為的形成與改變。有關單位應盡速發展整體性或特殊性的介入計畫，並能從行為的角度而非疾病類別的角度進行常規的行為偵測，以作為規劃同性質健康問題介入計畫之依據。

　　　　　Objectives: Despite the recent advances in medical technology, "prevention" is still the foundation for disease control, particularly in the case of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The general public's attitude towards prevention is critical to the implementation and effectiveness of intervention programs. This descriptive study aims to explore the public's belief of prevention and their attitude towards condom use for AIDS/STDs control in Taiwan. Methods : Data for the present study came from the 1997 and 1998 nation-wide Health Beliefs and Health-Seeking Behavior telephone interviews conducted among people 20-70 years of age. Results: The major findings are: (1) the public held strong belief in the preventability of AIDS/STDs and considered prevention was of greater importance than biomedical interventions, (2) of the possible prevention strategies proposed by the research participants, personal behavior control (self discipline) was deemed as the most ef fective; meanwhile a sense of powerlessness was expressed while mentioning the government's responsibility for keeping the quality of blood supply and managing the potential dangers posed by other people's behavior, (3) condoms were well accepted as an effective tool for AIDS/STDs prevention but were used mostly for the purposes of contraception than HIV/STDs prevention, and (4) people were unwilling to use condom mainly due to sensational and psychological discomforts. Conclusions: People were at the stag e of being "ready" for knowledge, attitudinal and behavioral changes. It is suggested that the government should develop and implement comprehensive as well as specific intervention programs. Behavioral- rather than disease-oriented surveillance should be carried out regularly together with rigorous behavioral science research as the foundation for health programs planning.