AEGiS-IRIN: Census Avoids Issue of HIV/AIDS

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Census Avoids Issue of HIV/AIDS

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks - October 2, 2001

South Africa's national census which starts next week, will not include questions on HIV/AIDS, as the topic was "too sensitive", Motale Phirwa, National Census Manager of Statistic South Africa, told IRIN on Tuesday. Results from the census will assist decision makers when planning and developing policies for the future.

"As you know people have been killed for revealing their HIV status, so it was felt that the whole area should be avoided...we're trying to build up trust with people so they are forthcoming with information, asking questions about HIV/AIDS could prevent our survey staff from doing their jobs...it's still too sensitive an issue", Phirwa said. He admitted that "it would have been a good opportunity to get more information on HIV/AIDS" but added that Statistics South Africa was not responsible for compiling the questions, the questions emerged from workshops within SADC and at provincial and local government levels.

Nozuko Majola, Project Officer for the AIDS Foundation, told IRIN that she had hoped the Census would ask questions that would help gauge the impact of the disease. "We work with AIDS orphans everyday and we don't even know how many there are in the country...the census could have helped us get a sense of how many children were affected by HIV/AIDS", she added. Majola felt that it was not necessary to ask for people to disclose their HIV status, but rather ask questions on how HIV/AIDS had changed their lives.

Statistics South Africa has said that any personal information given during the census will not be divulged to any person or organisation and the 85,000 representatives have been sworn to secrecy. Despite this assurance, Dr Sue Goldstein, Research Manager for Soul City- a multi-media educational health project- felt that the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS made it difficult to ask questions on the pandemic. "I'm not sure that the census is the right forum for this...and I don't think many people will be forthcoming on the issue," she said.

011002
IR011002

Copyright © 2001 - Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Integrated Regional Information Network. .

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from 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 2001. 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 – 2001. 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. .