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Ignorance about HIV transmission remains

Sun 20 Feb 2011 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA

A UK survey suggests that one in five people do not know that HIV can be passed on through unprotected gay sex. The poll of nearly 2,000 people, by the National AIDS Trust, also found that the same number did not realise that unsafe heterosexual sex could lead to transmission of the virus. African and Caribbean people were least likely to know that unprotected gay sex was a route of transmission, at 49 per cent, compared with 20 per cent overall. It's the fourth year the survey has been published and researchers said it was particularly concerning that more people now wrongly believe that HIV can be caught through kissing (nine per cent) and spitting (ten per cent). These figures have doubled from 2007's survey from four per cent and five per cent respectively. Sixty-seven per cent of people said they had sympathy for those with HIV and 74 per cent believed they should have the same level of support and respect as people with cancer. Eleven per cent had no sympathy, rising to 30 per cent towards those infected with HIV through unprotected sex. "It is certainly positive to see the majority of the public have supportive attitudes towards people with HIV, but there are still huge gaps in awareness of what it means to live with HIV in the UK today," says Deborah Jack, the chief executive of National AIDS Trust. "It is extremely important that inroads are made in terms of educating the general public so we can eradicate the prejudice which still exists around HIV. In addition to improving knowledge of HIV, intensive work also needs to go into tackling the often deep-seated judgments and beliefs held about HIV and the people affected."    

Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff

First published: Sunday, 20th February 2011 - 12:45pm

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