World AIDS ignorance ‘alive and well’

A nine-country survey has revealed that more than 40% of respondents did not understand that AIDS is always a fatal disease.

The survey, fronted by the MAC AIDS fund, a charity organisation set up by the brand MAC cosmetics, included 4,510 interviews conducted in the US, UK, Russia, France, China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa. The release of the poll's findings has been timed to coincide with World AIDS Day on 1 December, 2007.

"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," Nancy Mahon, executive director of the MAC AIDS Fund, told reporters.

Many people wrongly believed that a cure for HIV infection is available. For instance, 59% of Indians believed that a cure is available. In the US, African-Americans were more likely than Caucasians to think there is a cure.

Many respondents displayed misconceptions about the availability of AIDS treatments. Almost 50% of respondents believed that most HIV-infected patients were receiving treatment, when the figure is closer to 1 in 5, based on 2006 data.

Overall, almost half of respondents said they felt uncomfortable walking next to an HIV-infected person, while 52% did not want to live in the same house.

"We need to redouble our efforts and focus on basic and effective HIV prevention," Mahon emphasised.

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