Why women lead the incidence stakes in AIDS
Van Niftrik, J.
Nursing Rsa 9(6): 16; 18-19
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0258-1647 PMID: 8022469 Document Number: 288610
AIDS was first considered a disease of male homosexuals and of African men who engaged in anal sex, even though a high incidence of the disease was discovered in African prostitutes. Finally, a high prevalence of HIV was found in African prenatal clinic attenders with stable relationships, and a 1 male:1 female ratio was revealed. Today, it is apparent that the trend is towards higher rates of female HIV infection in developing countries and in the US and that this trend is greatest among adolescent females. Adolescent girls are at risk because of accelerated sexual maturation processes and because incest, rape, and other forms of sexual abuse are commonplace in developing country settings. This is exacerbated by a lack of HIV/AIDS awareness and the inability of young girls to insist on condom use during intercourse. Research in the past decade has also shown that female reproductive anatomy makes female tissue more conducive to penetration by HIV. In order to protect adolescent girls, sex education must start in the prepubescent stage and must target boys and girls, include parents, embrace the issue of sexual harassment, and provide information on disease prevention. Young women should be supplied with condoms so that they can insist on safer sex. This simple step will require changes in the attitudes of family planning workers, especially in the African setting where unmarried women have been denied access to condoms.