HIV: sweating, kissing, Dolipane… three days before Sidaction, received ideas persist among young people

A few days before Sidaction, the mobilization days of March 24, 25 and 26, Ifop surveyed 15-24 year olds. If information is progressing, one in four young people continues to feel misinformed regarding HIV and AIDS. And the risk-taking continues: 37% of those questioned “consider that they have less risk than others of being contaminated” and barely 29% systematically use a condom during sexual intercourse.

A few days before the organization of Sidaction, days of mobilization and awareness on HIV contamination, the 15-24 year olds, surveyed by Ifop, consider themselves better informed, but the received ideas persist. 77% of 15-24 year olds feel they are well informed regarding HIV, its modes of transmission, its treatments and prevention, notes Ifop, the figure is increasing in one year: in 2022, 69% of young people felt well informed, and 67% in 2021.

Men (82%) consider themselves better informed than women (73%), the very young more than the oldest: “89% of 15-17 year olds say they are well informed regarding HIV, whereas 70% among 18-20 year olds and 73% among 21-24 year olds.

Female condoms (67% of young people say they are “well informed”), testing (65% know where to get tested, 49% know regarding the existence of self-tests) and transmission (60% of people know that a person living with HIV who follows his treatment correctly cannot transmit the virus) are also better known and identified.

One in five young people believe that paracetamol prevents the transmission of the virus

On the other hand, misinformation persists: nearly one in five young people (18%) “believes that taking a tablet of paracetamol, Doliprane, Efferalgan… is effective in preventing the transmission of HIV”, + 5 points in a year. Between 12% and 17% of respondents also believe “that you can contract HIV by coming into contact with the perspiration of an HIV-positive person, by drinking from their glass, by shaking their hand or by kissing them”.

Finally, more than one in five young people (23%) “still believe that the emergency contraceptive pill can prevent the transmission of the virus”.

One explanation may be: barely 44% of young people report having benefited from teaching on sexually transmitted infections and HIV in education courses in emotional and sexual life, while the law imposes three sessions in schooling. since 2001. And 75% indicate that they “would have liked to be better informed and supported in the beginning of their emotional and sexual life”.

“The results of this survey worry us”

In addition, risky practices persist: “While the level of information on HIV seems to be increasing among young people aged 15 to 24, the results appear more mixed or even worrying with regard to their sexual practices and their way of living. ‘apprehend the virus”, note the Ifop pollsters: 37% of elderly respondents “consider that they have less risk than others of being infected with AIDS”, a worrying increase of 8 points in one year .

And “only 29% of young people systematically use a condom during sex compared to 34% in February 2022”. Far, very far, from the situation in 2020: “48% said they systematically used a condom during sexual intercourse”.

“The results of this survey still worry us as much. Even if we note an improvement in the feeling of information among young people and return to a pre-pandemic situation, some figures remain alarming. We must intensify awareness and prevention efforts among of this age group so that young people have the information they need for a fulfilling and risk-free sexual and emotional life”responded Florence Thune, CEO of Sidaction.

Each year, in France, 5,000 people discover their HIV status, 15% are under 24 years old.

Demonstrations in Occitania

On the occasion of Sidaction, demonstrations are organized in the regions. AT MontpellierThursday March 23, Pharmacy students from the Pharma Humanitaire association will hold an information stand on HIV and fundraising (sale of pancakes) in the Hall of the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Friday March 24, the Envie association is mobilizing: from 6:30 p.m. conference with researchers from the IRIM laboratory of the CNRS in Montpellier on the theme “Why fundamental research is fundamental?” From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. young researchers from IRIM are mobilizing at the CNRS on the Route de Mende campus in the hall: a bake sale is organized to raise funds for Sidaction.

Saturday March 25: from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., a collection is organized in the streets of the city with the Envie team, volunteers from Unis-Cité, volunteers from Fierté Montpellier Pride and partners from Montpellier Sans AIDS. In the evening, the drag queens, drag kings and drag queers of the Sidragtion take over to collect donations in the streets of the city center and in the Antigone district. At 8 p.m., an information and awareness stand is set up for the Montpellier HSC Volley Club match.

A Nimes, the ARAP-RUBIS association provides merchants from March 17 to 26 with donation boxes at merchants in the city. On March 24, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., an evening will be held at the association’s premises in partnership with TransrubisGard, raffle, information, prevention, distribution of equipment and fundraising. The same evening from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. a dance evening is organized for the benefit of Sidaction at the bar Instant T (2 rue Racine) in partnership with the arena of pride: information and prevention stand.

A Rodez, March 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Relais VIH association will be mobilized at the Saint-Etienne crossroads market: information and fundraising are on the agenda. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. it is in the Leclerc shopping mall that we find them (Comtal sud Onet le Château).