AIDS virus infects about one quarter of South African women aged 20-24

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 08 Apr 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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About one quarter of women aged 20-24 in South Africa are infected with the AIDS virus, according to a national survey. On the bright side, it seems that HIV infection is stabilising among the country's youth in general.

South Africa has a population of 45 million people, of which 5 million are infected by the AIDS virus. According to scientists at Witwatersrand University, women are the worst affected.

77% of the 5 million people who are infected are women. One in 14 men are infected compared to one in four women (both sexes aged 20-24).

Chief Investigator, Professor Helen Rees said that infection rates among the young are levelling off. She added "But it would be naive to think that this is any cause for celebration. The rate of infection among South African youth, particularly young girls, is among the highest in the world, and there are persistent behavioural trends, such as multiple sexual partners, that exacerbate the problem."

The researchers found that rates of HIV prevalence was much lower among 15-18 year olds when compared to 19-24 year olds. They studied a sample of 12,000 people (young people).

Many women said it was difficult for them to use condoms because they were coerced into having their first sexual encounter by men who were about four years older than them, on average.

62% of those who became infected with AIDS and became HIV positive thought there was no risk for them of getting AIDS. 66% of the people in the survey do not use condoms regularly.

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