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| ANPA.ORG |
| Global Survey Reveals Many People Do Not Think AIDS Is Fatal |
| Date : - 13/11/2007 |
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By Anthony J. Brown, MD NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Nov 13 - The results of a nine-country survey released today indicate that over 40% of respondents do not understand that AIDS is always a fatal disease. The survey from the MAC AIDS Fund, a philanthropy set up by Estee Lauder-owned MAC cosmetics, involved 4510 interviews conducted in the US, UK, Russia, France, China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa. The release of the findings coincides with a Fund board meeting and comes in advance of World AIDS Day on December 1. "The strength of the survey lies in its exclusive focus on issues related to AIDS, its span of nine countries and the fact that it poses frank, specific questions at a time when we need frank, specific answers to increase the effectiveness of our global response to the epidemic," Nancy Mahon, Executive Director of the MAC AIDS Fund, told Reuters Health. While most respondents believed that AIDS is always a fatal illness, many thought that a cure for HIV infection is available. For instance, 59% of Indians believed that a cure is available. In France, older adults were more likely than younger people to believe that the disease is curable. In the US, African-Americans were more likely than whites to think there is a cure. "From my perspective, the most important general finding is that we have not done a good enough job educating people about HIV -- the facts and reality," Dr. Marsha Martin, director for HIV/AIDS programs in the Oakland, California mayor's office, told Reuters Health. "When people believe the disease is not fatal and that there is a cure, that's because we haven't educated them well." Respondents often had misperceptions about treatment availability as well. Almost 50% of respondents believed that most HIV-infected patients were receiving treatment, when in reality the figure is closer to 1 in 5, based on 2006 data. However, education seems to help: in the UK, people with a higher education were more likely than those lacking a college degree to believe that most people with HIV go untreated. The findings also highlight the prejudice, fear, and stigma that surround the AIDS pandemic. Overall, almost half of respondents said they felt uncomfortable walking next to an HIV-infected patient, 52% did not want to live in the same house, and 79% did not want to date someone harboring the virus. "The most important message for those who are providing services is that they have to serve as role models in their interactions with individuals who are at risk or who are living with HIV. That would go a long way to reducing stigma in society," Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta, President of the International Center for Research on Women, told Reuters Health. Gender roles and difficulty in discussing safe sex practices are a key contributor to the pandemic, the results indicate. For instance, 73% of respondents believe that the spread of HIV is fueled, in part, by women being uncomfortable in discussing safe sex practices with their partners. "The results of this survey coupled with the recent failure of the most promising AIDS vaccine trial underscore that we are not going to vaccinate or cure our way out of this epidemic," Mahon emphasized. "All of us, particularly in the funding community, need to redouble our efforts and resources and focus on basic and effective HIV prevention programs that address gender, age and race differences in a direct and culturally competent way." |
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| Reference : - www.anpa.org |
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