Many students and high school students believe that AIDS is easily cured. Many do not use condoms and do not test themselves, according to a survey.
Young people are no longer afraid of AIDS. In any case, this is the conclusion that can be drawn from the health survey conducted among French students and high school students by SMEREP on the occasion of World AIDS Day, on December 1st. The study reveals the habits of these young people as regards sexuality and in particular on the wearing of the condom which is far from being systematic.
Only 43% of students say they use a condom every time they have sex. If the main reason is that they have a stable partner (76%), 16% say that using a condom makes them feel like they have less sensations (16%) or yet to give less sensation to their partner (10%). They are finally 13% to think that they do not risk anything.
As for French high school students, only 58% say they systematically wear a condom during sex. If we study the population of secondary school students in Ile-de-France, this figure rises to 71%.
No screening
The SMEREP study also learns that only 17% of students in France who have already had sex are systematically screened when changing partners. They are 27% to declare never to be tested (39% for the men). The reasons given: 53% of them believe that they did not take a “sufficient” risk, 26% do not know where to do this type of test, 10% do not like blood tests, and 7% prefer not to know…
Finally, the survey shows that more than 1 in 10 students (12%) think that today, thanks to treatments, we can easily cure AIDS. Misconceptions about how HIV is transmitted are widespread. Indeed, they are 15% to think that a mosquito bite can be at the origin, 7% that it is enough to kiss an HIV-positive person, or even by drinking from his glass (4%) or by squeezing him. the hand (1%).
On the high school side, only 13% say they undergo systematic screening when changing partners, 9% if we focus on high school students in Ile-de-France. In terms of knowledge about the modes of transmission of AIDS, the survey reveals that 2 out of 10 high school students have false beliefs like their elders. Finally, they are 14% to think that it is easy to cure AIDS today.
“The survey sheds light on the misinformation of young people about AIDS, particularly concerning its cure and its modes of transmission. SMEREP would like to remind high school and college students of the importance of being vigilant and protecting themselves during sex, ”comments Hadrien Le Roux, president of SMEREP.
Find the program L’invité santé with Jean-Luc Romero,
president of local elected officials against AIDS
broadcast on November 17, 2016
.
