Survey: 1 of 3 Americans Know Little or Nothing about AIDS
Nearly one out of three Americans admit they know little or nothing about AIDS, although it is one of the deadliest epidemics in recorded history, according to a survey released Thursday.
In the United States, people living in the West were most likely to admit lack of knowledge on the AIDS issue (33 percent), followed by the Northeast at 32 percent, the South at 30 percent, and the Midwest at 26 percent, the Ipsos-conducted survey found.
Overall, 30 percent of American respondents said they know little or nothing at all about the AIDS issue.
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"This survey reconfirms what all of us on the front lines of the AIDS battle know – leaders must put a face on the pandemic because, for people to take action AIDS must affect them in a personal way," said Richard E. Stearns, president of World Vision, U.S., in a statement.
The survey found that 49 percent of Americans have no personal connection with AIDS – that is, they do not know someone who died of AIDS, have a close friend or family member who is HIV-positive, or know someone who has lost a family member or friend to AIDS.
But lack of personal connection did not seem to affect Americans' concerned for the AIDS situation. Americans are more concerned with the AIDS pandemic than they are with climate changed (74 percent versus 71 percent, respectively), according to the survey.
Moreover, half of Americans surveyed said they are willing to pay more taxes to help fund prevention, treatment, research, and care for AIDS patients.
Many Americans (74 percent) also believe individuals "should play my part, however small" to help those affected by AIDS, and 69 percent of respondents indicated they would be willing to donate to help children impacted by AIDS.
However, the Iraq war (85 percent), poverty and hunger (85 percent), as well as the global economy (79 percent) proved to be greater concerns for Americans than the AIDS pandemic and climate change.
More than half (52 percent) of respondents believe in widespread distribution of condoms as a prevention method of AIDS, while 48 percent support programs to discourage sexual promiscuity. And 46 percent support the provision of clean needles for IV drug users.
The survey was conducted by the global polling and market research firm Ipsos Public Affairs on over 3,000 participants in seven wealthy nations – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – all members of the G-8. Russia, the eighth member, was not surveyed because of financial consideration.
"While some of these survey results present daunting challenges, we can be encouraged with the finding that the more people know about AIDS, the more compassionate they are toward those directly affected by it," Stearns noted.
"AIDS is the greatest humanitarian disaster of our time, maybe of all time, and children represent our greatest hope in turning the tide against this deadly disease," said the WV head. "Orphans and vulnerable children are the 'echo boom' of the pandemic, and much more must be done to protect them from exploitation and provide opportunities for the future.
World Vision held a global vigil Nov. 29-30 to raise awareness on the estimated 6,000 children every day who lose a parent to AIDS. The vigil began in Toronto and continued westward in more than 17 cities around the world during 24 hours and ended 9 a.m. EST on Nov. 30 in New York City.
"To the leaders of the seven governments whose citizens were surveyed, to the leaders of the U.N. and World Bank, to my NGO colleagues, when history judges us, we all will be asked, 'What did you do to help them and stop the calamity of AIDS?'" Stearns asked.
