Awareness of AIDs/HIV is decreasing among the younger generation..

[Dream.A.Dream]

Discuss.

It was world AIDs day today, and they were saying on loose women that a generation ago there were adverts on TV warning against AIDs and about always using condoms, and that among friend groups it was discussed a lot.

I'm 21, and have been sexually active for...um...longer than I should and I must admit I've never really given it much thought. Apparently the age group it's most on the rise amongst is 18-24 year olds.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Linzi]

I think there should be more awareness around it - I dont think adverts are a bad idea.

I only know what I learnt from school and thats very little.

I think removing the stigma around it would help people to open up & talk, and maybe that in itself will raise awareness and make people realise how serious it is and it can actually happen to them if they aren't careful.

xx

 

[marley2580]

I still remember the tombstone ads of the 80s/90s. I think people need scaring again as many people seem to think you can live for ages with HIV and be fine with all the drugs they give them

 

[Laura2919]

I dont think there is enough awareness! There should be. I see one advert yesterday and I heard on the radio the london eye had turned red for it and that was it.

 

[Nic1107]

I think there should definitely be heightened awareness again! It seems people are once again assuming that AIDS/HIV only happens in the gay community which is so incorrect. It's like people think it'll never happen to them so they don't bother making sure their partners have been tested, but AIDS is still out there and it doesn't discriminate.

 

[blinkybaby]

I remember seeing that episode of "The Hospital" on channel 4 where that poor 16 year old had been diagnosed as HIV positive. That has to be an indication that the information is not reaching the people it should.

 

[coccyx]

more education the better I say. I am ancient and remember the info/adverts from the 1980's, quite scarey at the time

 

[caz81]

I think there is little awareness. I think there is such a focus on teen pregnancy/not getting pregnant that people forget about STDS/ AIDs etc. People who are sexually active seem to be encouraged to take the pill or told if you forget to use contraception just take the morning after pill.... neither of these things will stop you getting HIV. As a teacher I know the focus in sex ed is far more about pregnancy than HIV, were I worked we started sex ed at 11 but HIV was not mentioned until they were 14

 

[PeanutBean]

I was going to start a debate on this but I'll post here instead as I think it's relevant.
https://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/dec/03/hormone-implants-contraception-condoms
This article is talking about the increase in use of the implant and decrease in use of condoms in the young age range. All well and good for preventing pregnancy but I was pretty surprised to find no mention of STDs at all! Well if condoms are being discouraged (as implied by the quotes in the article about how unreliable they are) it's no wonder young people aren't aware of HIV and the likes!

Personally I am and always have been mortally terrified of HIV. I went out with a guy who was on the sociopathic spectrum for a short time some years ago. One of the things noted was that people with the condition had a high risk of carrying HIV because of their high level of promiscuity. I'd been on the pill only and it scared the life out of me when I read it. I knew him well and his friend's and felt they I knew him well enough to trust him but that shook me up and showed me what a total idiot I'd been. Fortunately I don't have HIV and of course I don't know if he has ever been infected.

 

[Chantibug]

I think in ALL generations there needs to be more awareness... and I dont mean just showing an ad on TV where everything goes red. That shows nothing! Show what a dying AIDS patient looks like and goes through!
We touched on it in school roughly 10 years ago.... it scared me, but didnt stop me from being sexually active sooner than I should have been... Then, I saw a movie called Gia (angelina jolie) and in the end

Spoiler

she dies a sad and painful death. It always stood out in my mind, her flesh was coming off of her back(!)

...
I got more careful after that, it really scared th shit out of me..I plan on teaching my kids how horrific it can be and not glamorizing it (oh just maintain your drug cocktails and you'll be fine! NOT) ...

I also think the risk factors need to be updated. Currently, or last I heard, thy were IV drug users, homosexual MEN, and .... gah cant remembe the other... well I think it needs to be "anyone having unprotected sex", because honestly we are ALL at risk unless our parter has been tested and so have we! and i hate how when you show support for it, people assume you have aids yourself (reason i never joined aids awareness group at school... and not many people joined all together... )

 

[special_kala]

younger people dont worry about this enough at all.

i have friends who have std tests like they mean nothing as in their head so what if they get something all it takes is a few pills and its gone. The fact that if you get aids it wont ever go away.

The big thing about the morning after pill worries me as its such a easy way out for people in terms of unwanted pregnancys but they dont seem to worry about getting aids.

 

[Dream.A.Dream]

I agree. I think for our generation it's all about chlamydia, but AIDs is so much worse xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

I cant get over how blasé people are about AIDS / HIV these days. I have a friend who is HIV+. I have a friend who is a practice nurse and who is VERY concerned at the levels of ignorance among young, newly sexually active adults these days - she is caring for SEVERAL people who are HIV in the SMALL town we live in.

I was brought up to ALWAYS wear a condom with anyone you are unsure of their status ie that you are not in a relationship with or you can confirm has been tested. When I was single and having 'casual sex' I used a condom every time. No glove, no love. I think it also helped that my auntie runs an AIDS refuge which I've been to and have seen men, women and children dying of AIDS.

My 16 year old isnt on the the pill or anything to my knowledge but we talk very openly about sex. We see the GP about her (now gone) teen acne and while we were there we talked about contraception and how the pill only protects you from getting pregnant and not from diseases that at best may render you infertile or with something very embarrassing and at worse will kill you. It may sound flippant and isnt representative of my views in general but and unwanted pregnancy can be terminated, should you chose to do so. An unwanted STD like AIDS CANT be terminated, removed or cured.

I think that more awareness needs raising because it's not gone away and I think the 18-24 yr olds we talk about will be the next big group affected.

 

[hopeandpray]

Hmm well I'm 19 and I don't remember ever really hearing about it at school. Tbh I didn't really know that anyone at all had it in this country, we always just heard about it being in developing countries. Just googled and here in Ireland there are about 5,500 people with it

 

[Dream.A.Dream]

I agree completely. Too much importance is placed on the other, curable STD's. I can honestly say I don't think I have ever been made aware of AIDs. Ever xx

 

[PeanutBean]

I remember the gravestone awareness ads of the '80s but then I'm an old fogey compared to most on here!

 

[Mervs Mum]

Yes I am a fogey too and remember the gravestones too....

 

[Dream.A.Dream]

Sounds like they need bringing back TBH x

 

[Sarahkka]

I cant get over how blasé people are about AIDS / HIV these days. I have a friend who is HIV+. I have a friend who is a practice nurse and who is VERY concerned at the levels of ignorance among young, newly sexually active adults these days - she is caring for SEVERAL people who are HIV in the SMALL town we live in.

I was brought up to ALWAYS wear a condom with anyone you are unsure of their status ie that you are not in a relationship with or you can confirm has been tested. When I was single and having 'casual sex' I used a condom every time. No glove, no love. I think it also helped that my auntie runs an AIDS refuge which I've been to and have seen men, women and children dying of AIDS.

My 16 year old isnt on the the pill or anything to my knowledge but we talk very openly about sex. We see the GP about her (now gone) teen acne and while we were there we talked about contraception and how the pill only protects you from getting pregnant and not from diseases that at best may render you infertile or with something very embarrassing and at worse will kill you. It may sound flippant and isnt representative of my views in general but and unwanted pregnancy can be terminated, should you chose to do so. An unwanted STD like AIDS CANT be terminated, removed or cured.

I think that more awareness needs raising because it's not gone away and I think the 18-24 yr olds we talk about will be the next big group affected.

Totally agree.
You have a choice about pregnancy, should that happen. You don't have a choice about HIV or herpes or several other STDs. There are only treatments, no cure.
I had a friend die of AIDS when I was 18, so I've always been really really frightened by this disease and VERY aware of what it can do to you.
I don't know if it's less of a focus here in Canada nowadays, but I have heard that some younger demographics seem to have the attitude that spending the rest of your life on anti-retrovirals is no big deal.
That is truly frightening.

 

[Nibblenic]

At 26 I feel like im at the later end of a generation that still consideres AID something you could catch through unprotected sex.

The focus seems to be on Clap etc and the young people I see at work seem to think its some sort of joke or a badge of honour. I dont think they make the contection that this time it can be sorted but not next time I hink they just carry on having unprotected sex. Like someone is going to come along an d sort it all out for them.

Tombstone adds back I say!