has died of the AIDS virus, a recently completed survey by the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation has found.

The finding was one of the clearest indications of how pervasive AIDS has become throughout Island society, foundation director Joe Gibbons last night told The Royal Gazette .

The random telephone survey of 700 residents also indicated most people had a clear understanding of the the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

But of the 81 percent of teenagers who learned of AIDS in schools, nearly 55 percent of sexually active teens still refused to protect themselves during sex.

"It seems the point is not getting through to them. There just does not seem to be that same level of caution and there's still that feeling `it won't happen to me','' said Mr. Gibbons.

Youth respondents also told the foundation they believed condoms should be distributed free in schools, and many answered they had no idea where to get tested for exposure to HIV/AIDS.

"Clearly we have to continue working to get the message across,'' said Mr.

Gibbons.

The survey -- carried out by WAVE Marketing -- was designed to get community feedback and help the foundation chart future AIDS prevention strategies.

"We have to know how people view the foundation, whether they have used its services, if attitudes towards abstinance or safer sex practices are valid ones in our community and which group, if any, we may be overlooking in our ongoing efforts to education,'' said Mr. Gibbons.

The survey's findings will help the foundation plot future educational strategies.