40% of British Boys Have ‘Never Heard’ of HIV or AIDS, Survey Shows

Forty percent of boys in the United Kingdom have "never heard of" HIV or AIDS, according to the "Young People in 2000" survey conducted by the Schools Health Education Unit, BBC News reports. The survey polled 42,000 people between the ages of 10 and 15 and found that in addition to not knowing about HIV/AIDS, more boys than girls said they would "not take care" to prevent contracting HIV. "Teenagers today were babies when the 'Don't Die of Ignorance' advertisements and leaflets were used in the mid-1980s, so HIV awareness amongst today's younger generation is low," Lisa Power, head of policy for the Terrence Higgins Trust, said. "We don't want young people to think that HIV is around every corner -- but they should be aware of the genuine risks of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases," she added. The survey also found that 57% of older males do not know where to go to receive free condoms (BBC News, 11/9).