Teenagers need better education about HIV and AIDS, says charity

A charity is calling for teenagers to be given clearer education on how they can catch HIV and AIDS, reports BBC News.

According to the website: ‘A third of 12 to 17-year-olds wrongly think they can’t catch HIV through unprotected sex.

‘A panel of nearly 1,000 were surveyed by the charity the MAC AIDS Fund between May and June. Figures from the survey also suggest nearly 90% of teenagers believe they are not at risk of contracting HIV or AIDS in their lifetime.

‘When asked if they had ever spoken about the topic, 42% of the panel said they hadn’t. Thirty-seven per cent of respondents thought smoking or drinking alcohol would be a greater risk to their health compared to 27% who thought having unprotected sex could be detrimental.

‘The charity is now calling for better education on the virus and disease.’