Who needs HIV and AIDS education?

Who needs HIV and AIDS education?

HIV and AIDS education can be effective when targeted at specific groups who are particularly at risk of HIV infection. The groups that HIV and AIDS education needs to target vary depending on the nature of the epidemic in an area. High risk groups can also change over time. For example, in the early years of the AIDS epidemic in America, men who have sex with men and injecting drug users were most at risk of HIV infection. Today, heterosexual African Americans and the Hispanic/Latino population are also identified as groups particularly vulnerable to HIV infection in America.^{3 4}

“AIDS affects many parts of society, and so everyone needs to be aware of HIV and AIDS.”

However, it is important that such a focus does not lead to groups who are considered not ‘at risk’ missing out on HIV and AIDS education. This can lead to a rise in HIV infection rates amongst groups who are often neglected by HIV and AIDS education, for example older people.⁵ Furthermore, AIDS affects many parts of society, and so everyone needs to be aware of HIV and AIDS. Providing the general population with basic AIDS education contributes to the spread of accurate information; promoting awareness and tackling stigma and discrimination.

It is also important that people who are already infected with HIV receive HIV and AIDS education. This can help people to live positively without passing on the virus to anyone else; to prevent themselves becoming infected with a different strain of the virus; and to ensure a good quality of life by informing them about medication and the support that is available to them