Youth see anal sex as safe alternative - report

SOUTH AFRICA: Youth see anal sex as safe alternative - report

JOHANNESBURG, 22 Jun 2004 (PLUSNEWS) - Young South Africans are interpreting oral and anal sex as safe because they are not mentioned in HIV/AIDS prevention messages, an expert has said.

A survey conducted by professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim has revealed that 15 percent of 800 pupils aged 15 to 19 surveyed in KwaZulu-Natal province considered anal sex a safer alternative, despite it carrying the highest risk of HIV infection.

A local newspaper, The Sunday Times, quoted her as saying: "We need to make sure that our prevention messages are as complete as possible about the different ways that you can get HIV/AIDS."

Karim also said her findings showed that the country's HIV/AIDS awareness messages were too vague.

[ENDS]

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