should be focusing its attention on HIV/AIDS.

Canadians were asked to indicate where they believe that the federal government currently focuses most of its programs and funding on HIV/AIDS, and then where they think the federal government should be focusing its attention on HIV/AIDS.

Currently, close to half (45 per cent) do not know where the federal government is focusing its attention. Roughly three in ten Canadians believe that the federal government is focusing its attention on public education (28 per cent) and research into treatment (27 per cent). Roughly one in ten (nine per cent) believe the federal government is focused on finding a cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS, or for caring for those infected. A minority believe the federal government is focusing programs and funding in other areas.

When asked where they believe the federal government should be focusing its attention, half the population (51 per cent) states that public education should be a focus (although only 28 per cent believe it currently is). One-third believe the federal government should be conducting research into treatment (and 27 per cent believe it currently is). Canadians also believe that the federal government should be focusing attention on finding a cure/vaccine (21 per cent), caring for the infected (15 per cent) and youth education and prevention (five per cent).

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• Those with higher education and income are more likely to believe that the government currently focuses programs and funding on research into treatment and public education (over one-third do), while those with lower education and income are more likely to not know where the current emphasis is (over half do not know). Those with higher education and income are also more likely to indicate that the government should focus its attention in these two areas (research into treatment and public education).
  
• Youth are more likely to believe that public education is a current federal government focus (36 per cent do).
  
• Men and those who are Canadian born are more likely to believe that research into treatment is a current government focus (31 and 29 per cent, respectively). Those who know someone with HIV/AIDS, with high actual knowledge and high comfort with HIV/AIDS more often identify research into treatment and public education as current federal government focuses. Those with high actual knowledge and high comfort levels are also more likely to identify research into treatment and public education as areas which should receive federal government attention (37 and 39 per cent think research into treatment should be a focus, and 58 and 57 per cent think public education should be).
  
• Seniors citizens are less likely to indicate that the federal government should focus on finding a cure/vaccine (15 per cent do) or research into treatment (25 per cent do).