Young People Think They Can’t Get HIV

Following on from last weeks blog, where we said that Education not Drugs was a better solution to the growing number of new infections, a survey has been published showing that a third of 12 to 17 year olds think you cannot get HIV from unprotected sex.  Where has it all gone wrong?

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A survey of around 1,000 young people by the MAC AIDS Fund in the summer of 2014 has found that 1 in 3 think they cannot get HIV from unprotected sex.  Here are some other stats from the survey:

• 90% of teenagers believe they are not at risk of catching HIV in their lifetime
• 42% had never discussed HIV
• There is confusion as to whether smoking and drinking or unprotected sex is a greater overall health risk

Changes are planned in England, the government says: “As part of the new science GCSE, pupils will also be taught about sexually transmitted infections, which will include HIV and Aids for the first time.”

Alex Sparrowhawk found out he was HIV positive when he was 24 after having unprotected sex.  He told BBC’s Newsbeat: “I was aware of HIV, and knew it was a virus and how to catch it…But I didn’t think it would happen to someone like me. I presumed it would happen to other people….It wasn’t something I ever thought of.”

If you are worried that you might have HIV, then Better2Know can help you.  We do not need your real name to make a booking and no one will know that you have come to us for testing.  We will get you your results really fast.