Young and blur about HIV/AIDS

NST: LANGKAWI: Despite years of public education on HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), a third of teenagers still do not know the consequences of unprotected sex.
More than a quarter don’t know that unprotected sex can lead to unwanted pregnancy, and 32.7 per cent are unaware that they can contract STIs. Some had never even heard of STIs, while the common myths about HIV and how it is spread are still widely believed.
Presenting the results of a survey on the "Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour of Young People on HIV and STIs Prevention" in Langkawi on Saturday, Prof Dr Low Wah Yun of the University of Malaya’s health research development unit said: "They are not aware of specific modes of transmission and have misconceptions about the disease."
The survey found that while many young people have mistaken ideas on how HIV and STIs are spread, one in three respondents did not know that using a condom can protect them from HIV and other STIs.
A total of 6,171 students from Kelantan, Malacca, Penang and Langkawi aged between 13 and 18, and 393 primary schoolchildren, were polled in the study conducted by the Federation of Family Planning Associations (FFPAM) and funded by United Nations Population Fund.
The results of the study, which began in October 2004 and ended last year, were presented at the National Advocacy Seminar for Media on HIV Prevention.
It showed that 42.3 per cent of those polled thought they could contract the HIV virus if they live with an infected person, 23 per cent thought they could be infected by holding hands, and 29 per cent believed the virus was airborne.
Sharing a cup with an HIV-positive person was believed to expose one to possible infection by 42.5 per cent, while 43.6 per cent thought they could be infected by a mosquito. Some 29 per cent believed that exchanging saliva could spread the infection.
Dr Low said the survey found that nearly half (47 per cent) of the respondents thought people with HIV could be cured, while more than half (55 per cent) thought they could tell whether someone is HIV-positive just by looking at them.
"The level of understanding is very low," she said.
"It must be noted that there were also respondents who did not know that HIV could be transmitted through the injection of drugs, having sex with infected sex workers, blood donation and from HIV-positive mothers to their babies."
A focus group discussion with 12 participants in Kelantan found that half the participants disagreed that the best way to avoid AIDS was to avoid sex. Many felt that anyone who may be infected with HIV should be tested and agreed that couples planning marriage should take the test.
Three out of four participants said they would take an HIV test if it was free.
The survey also found that a large number of those who are supposed to be educating their peers on HIV/AIDS subscribe to some of the common myths, after polling 86 family life education (FLE) educators and 251 peer group members, half of them aged 15 to 19.
About one in five thought mosquito bites could be a culprit. One in four respondents disagreed that a HIV-positive person could still look good and feel well.
They also thought a person must first manifest AIDS symptoms before they can infect other people.
FLE educators and peer group members are mainly youths who educate young people on the dangers of HIV and STIs and encourage them in healthy sexual behaviour. Three in four felt they had sufficient knowledge to help protect young people from HIV, while one-third felt the same about STIs. Most felt they could use more training.