HIV/AIDS Threat amongst Young Population

Health Hazards | December 27, 2011 | Share

Health risks in young people are gradually turning into a matter of grave concern. In 2002, United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children stressed the need to expand and implement national health policies and agendas for adolescents, which would be aimed at fostering better physical and mental health. The World Health Organization (WHO) in a report estimated that more than 2.6 million young people aged between10 to 24 die each year largely due to preventable causes. Young people today are faced with healthcare issues like mental health problems, most commonly depression or anxiety, use of tobacco which in turn increases their vulnerability to lung problems including cancer. The most threatening disease that is increasingly being detected in adolescents is HIV (Human Immuno Deficiency Syndrome), which in its advanced stage takes the form of Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). WHO studies have revealed that in the year 2009, 40 per cent of all HIV infection was detected in young people within the age group of 15 to 24.

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the young population

Worldwide there are around five million young people who are infected with this life threatening disease. The main reason for this sad state of affairs is the lack of awareness about the means of protection particularly the use of condoms to prevent sexual transmission of the virus and clean needles and syringes for those who inject drugs. WHO research has underlined the fact that only 36 per cent young men and 24 per cent young women have extensive and correct knowledge of how they can protect themselves from acquiring the virus. The limited knowledge in these regards is further propelled by the social, cultural and economic conditions. It has become an imperative to come up with strategies that will be effective for HIV prevention together with successful handling of these issues.

The Indian Scenario

A study titled ‘Youth and HIV/AIDS in India’ was done by Alison Drynan, which provides various important insights with regard to what are the factors that have contributed to increasing HIV cases in India, how far these causes have been addressed and what are the impediments in this respect.

The first issue that confronts policy makers today is how to define the term ‘youth’. India’s National Youth Policy provides a very broad based definition for youth. It brings under its ambit commercial sex workers (CSW), intravenous drug users (IDU), run away children, child labourers and students.

There is a disparity in knowledge and acceptance of HIV/AIDS and preventive measures between the urban and rural youth. This is further aggravated by the presence of misconceptions like those relating to the disease being curable and non-preventable.

The attitudes of young people as sexuality educators claim is a hindrance to creating awareness coupled with the absence of uniformly established sexual and reproductive health education in school system. Another problem is that at the international forum the deliberations and discussions on HIV/AIDS remains confined to African societies. Government advertisements often come in under criticism for providing inadequate information. For example: Ads like ‘Use a condom’ fail to give any information as to’ why’ or ‘how’.

According to the National Youth Policy the need for programming for adolescents has become almost obligatory because this age group is especially vulnerable due to their ‘high risk behaviour, greater biological susceptibility, limited access to information and counselling even more limited access to STD (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) treatment facilities and the fact that primary prevention, which is primary for effectively preventing the disease often becomes difficult’. Population control and family planning methods need to promote responsible sexual behaviour in adults.

Educational Institutions are not open to starting sex education as they feel that its thrust is mainly negative confined only to discussions of casual sex, unmarried pregnancies and dangers of acquiring HIV. Moreover, our society still has to go a long way in allowing open discussions of homosexuality and masturbation.

Efforts taken to combat this challenge

*FPAI-SECRT: Family Planning Association of India- Sexuality, Education, Counselling, Research and Training; has been instrumental in backing initiatives aimed at HIV/AIDS prevention.

*TORCH-HIV/AIDS telephone helpline, has been introduced where 75 per cent callers are adolescents, and the most commonplace questions are related to masturbation, unprotected sex, condom use and STD’s.

*Non-governmental organizations like NAZ have been pioneer in educating young people in these issues by conducting workshops in city’s colleges, run condom distribution campaigns, facilitate counselling, confidential testing, telephone helpline and educational theatre.

* Tata Institute of Social Sciences collaborated with the Bombay Municipal Corporation in training of adolescents and youth.

Arpita Roy