Title: High society lacks knowledge of epidemic. Focus: South Africa.

POPLINE Document Number: 108693

Author(s):

Kotze H
van Wyk JA

Source citation:

AIDS ANALYSIS AFRICA, 1995 Oct;5(5):5-7.

Abstract:

The attitudes, prejudices, and knowledge of 1500 leaders of South Africa's politics, academia, agriculture, military, bureaucracy, business, media, and churches were assessed through a mail survey between July and September 1994. AIDS is a major public health issue in South Africa and one of the most hotly-debated political problems. The survey found that these opinion leaders have a surprisingly low level of knowledge about HIV and AIDS, which may explain the relatively low position of AIDS issues in public policy. Overall, opinion leaders with right-wing affiliations are intolerant toward people with AIDS, it is commonly felt that people with AIDS should be treated in public hospitals, opinion leaders believe that the entry of illegal aliens is making the AIDS problem worse, it is widely considered that the state cannot afford to fund medical research on AIDS at the cost of primary health care services, it is widely felt that regular AIDS tests for all South Africans should not be compulsory, and most opinion leaders believe that employees who test HIV-positive should inform their employers. The author posits that this level of ignorance of the full implications and dimensions of HIV/AIDS may cause institutions to fail to adapt to the growing crisis.

Keywords:

South Africa
Research Report
Influentials
Knowledge
AIDS
HIV Infections
Africa, Southern
Africa, Sub Saharan
Africa
Developing Countries
Knowledge Sources
Communication
Viral Diseases
Diseases