Stigma 'Feeds Ignorance About HIV'Updated:09:14, Monday November 26, 2007
One in seven young people in Britain would not be willing to remain friends with someone if they had HIV, according to new research.
A survey by Ipsos Mori shows the stigma surrounding HIV in Britain is approaching levels seen in South Africa, the country with the highest number of infections.
A fifth of youngsters interviewed in South Africa said they would not remain friends with someone who contracted the disease.
In Kyrgyzstan, where HIV is a growing problem, the figure was almost half of young people questioned.
Alyson Lewis is HIV adviser at the British Red Cross, which commissioned the survey.
He said: "The stigma and secrecy attached to HIV is having a direct impact on young people's ability worldwide to access information and talk openly about their fears and concerns about the spread of this devastating pandemic.
"Almost half of British young people interviewed would want to keep it a secret if a member of their family was living with HIV."
The figures were released as the British Red Cross launched a campaign to raise awareness of the disease.
HIV: What's The Story? is aimed at educating youngsters about the disease.
Some 300 people aged between 14 and 25 were questioned in each of Great Britain, Ethiopia, South Africa and Kyrgyzstan.
"Almost half of British young people interviewed would want to keep it a secret if a member of their family was living with HIV."
The figures were released as the British Red Cross launched a campaign to raise awareness of the disease.
HIV: What's The Story? is aimed at educating youngsters about the disease.
Some 300 people aged between 14 and 25 were questioned in each of Great Britain, Ethiopia, South Africa and Kyrgyzstan.
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