CHINA: Report: Widespread Ignorance of AIDS Among Chinese Gays Threatens to Undermine Fight Against Disease

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

CHINA: Report: Widespread Ignorance of AIDS Among Chinese Gays Threatens to Undermine Fight Against Disease

Associated Press (12.15.04) - Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Christopher Bodeen

A new report by China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that widespread ignorance about HIV/AIDS among Chinese gay men could hamper the country's efforts to fight the disease. Around 80 percent of male homosexuals surveyed in China either believe they cannot get AIDS or seriously underestimate their risk of infection, Xinhua News Agency said today. Though needle-sharing by drug users remains the primary route of HIV transmission in China, infection rates in the gay community - currently at about 1.35 percent - are expected to skyrocket, the study said.

"The gay community is one of the most vulnerable groups, but they have long been ignored in China," said Lu Fan, chief of the Chinese CDC's AIDS control and prevention unit. Wan Yanhai, a Beijing-based AIDS activist, agreed. "Gays have been completely ignored," said Wan. "They've been left out of the list of marginalized groups targeted for help."

Survey respondents were interviewed in bars, parks, public bathrooms, Internet cafes and other places, said Xinhua, which did not reveal how many people were interviewed or when the survey took place. Being openly gay in China carries a heavy social stigma, leading most homosexual men to hide their sexual orientation, even marrying to avoid suspicion or please their families.

Wu Yuhua, a researcher with the Heilongjiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducted the survey on behalf of the national center, said a rise in HIV infections among gay men could have serious consequences for women and the heterosexual population. Wu said more than 17 percent of those surveyed said they also had female sexual partners, and more than 12 percent said they were married. Just 16 percent said they had talked to their doctors about AIDS, the report said.
041215
AD042557

Copyright © 2004 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2004. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.