Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mary Huang Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences

1. What Do Young People Say About HIV and AIDS? Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mary Huang Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences University Putra Malaysia

2. In 2004 6,000 young people (15 – 24) years were infected each day bringing to 10 million the total number of young people living with HIV

3. Distribution of Malaysian PLWHs by Age Groups Total Cases Between 1986 to 2005

4. Percentage of women infected by HIV in Malaysia is increasing

5. Total women infected by year - Malaysia

7. Who they had Sex with Female friends only 65.3% Sex Workers only 10.2% Female friends & sex workers 8.2% Female as well as male friends 4.1% Males friends 12.2% How sex took place? Voluntarily 77.6% After much persuasion 12.2% By force 8.2% Others 2.0%

8. HIV/AIDS Young Malaysians

9. PRACTICES AND BEHAVIOR 7, 045 Adolescents (14 – 21) PRACTICES & BEHAVIOR

10. % Distribution by Drug Use & Types of Drugs Used

11. % Distribution of Methods of Drug Use

12. % Distribution by Sexual Behavior

13. Condom Use among Respondents who had ever had Penetrative Sex

14. KNOWLEDGE

15. Known to 90% of School Students • Caused by a virus • Food or stress cannot give you AIDS • Contracted by sharing needles or having many partners • It is a serious disease caused by a virus that cannot travel through the air • Can be passed on from an infected mother • to her child

16. Known to 80% of the Students Not restricted to homosexuals Cannot be cured even if diagnosed early Not all gay men have AIDS Not a disease restricted to bisexual males Medical problem in which the body cannot fight off infections

17. Known to 70% of the Students Development of secondary infections Confirm positive blood test for HIV antibody – means that a person is infected There is no cure for AIDS A person does not need to have symptoms in order to infect others Anybody can get AIDS We can be infected without knowing it

18. Known to 60% of the Students There is no vaccine (new medication) which can prevent you from getting HIV Cannot be avoided by exercising daily

19. Known to < 50% of the Students Only 37.0% knew that an infected person can still look good and feel well

20. HIV Antibody Test • Looks for antibodies in the blood, not the HIV virus. • Must be accompanied by pre- and post-test counseling. • Window Period - the period during which antibodies cannot be detected despite the possible presence of HIV. Can be up to six months but a person with HIV is infectious from day one. • Tests conducted are confidential.

21. Knowledge about transmission

22. You CANNOT get HIV by… Sharing food/drinks – 95.9% Studying/schooling together - >90%

23. You CANNOT get HIV by… Kissing on cheek– 81.8% Peck on lips -36.9% Playing together Hugging – 79.8

24. You CANNOT get HIV by… Sharing of beds/house/home equipments Using public facilities i.e. swimming pool, telephones etc.

25. Blood Exchange of infected blood • Sharing of contaminated needles • or syringes • Blood transfusion or organ • transplant.

26. Mother to Child • During pregnancy. • While giving birth. • When breastfeeding. About 30% of babies born to HIV+ women are infected with the virus. However, the possibilities can be reduced with anti-HIV therapy such as using AZT.

27. NOT SURE????

28. TransmissionKnowledge By donating blood – 61.8% Exchange of Saliva - 46.1% Risk of contracting HIV/AIDS from a blood transfusion in a hospital is low – 63.3% Anal sex without the use of the condom is a means of contracting the virus - 79.3%

29. TransmissionKnowledge Mosquito bites can transmit the virus – 52.2% A person can only get HIV/AIDS if he/she has sexual intercourse with a sex worker – 23.2%

32. Feelings About Information

33. What About Your Students?

34. Total: 6,564 Students

35. Median Age: 15 years

36. Places Where the study was Carried out

37. Percent of youths who have heard of HIV and STIs

38. Mean score on the knowledge of HIV transmission

39. Percent who provided incorrect response to the modes of HIV transmission

40. 55% respondents  HIV person can be identified • 47% respondents  HIV can be cured • Unaware of the consequences of unprotected sex • 32.7% STIs • 27.1% unwanted pregnancy • 18.5% HIV • Young people most likely to mention that parents (86.3%), followed by health workers (76.8%), friends (69%), schoolmates (64.3%) as persons whom they turn to for help from risky behavior

41. From where they obtained Information on HIV/AIDS

42. Sources of Information on HIV/AIDS and STIs

43. Preferred Sources of Information

44. Percent who felt that they have sufficient knowledge to protect young people from HIV and STIs

45. WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE WANT? • Improving knowledge on HIV/AIDS among the youths and educators • Knowledge tends to be superficial • Not aware of specific modes of transmissions myths and misconceptions about disease  perpetuate stigma & discrimination • Need to educate young people & teach them life skills  negotiation, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision-making & communication, improve self-confidence & ability to make informed choices, postponing sex until they are mature • Increasing knowledge thro schools, communities, media

46. It Helps to be Informed Knowledge Can Save Lives

47. Thank you and all the best