University AIDS Prevention Health Education Reader (Guidance on Sexual Physiology and Mental Health for University Students)

Author: Yang Yulin, Zhao Lianhe / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features:
1. The spread of AIDS in Africa
Africa, especially the region south of the Sahara Desert, is currently the most severely affected area in the world. By the end of 2004, the total number of HIV infections in this region reached 29.4 million, accounting for more than 70% of the global total. The total number of deaths exceeded 13.7 million, accounting for more than 84% of the global total. In 2003 alone, 2.4 million people died of AIDS, accounting for three-quarters of the global death toll during the same period. In all seven countries in southern Africa, the infection rate exceeded 17%. Botswana and Swaziland even reached as high as 35%. The situation in West Africa is slightly better, with rates below 10%. In East and Central Africa, such as Uganda, the prevalence rate has further declined. Currently, the rapid spread of AIDS in Africa, its wide-ranging impact, and the severe damage to the social and economy have reached a shocking level. Without effective preventive measures, Africa will continue to be the most severely affected region in the world by AIDS in the next 20 years. A survey published in Africa in May 2004 found that the infection rate among young women was 2.5 times higher than that among young men of the same age. Young people aged 15-24 had the highest infection rates, with 77% being female. The high infection rate among young women is mainly due to biological factors such as women being more susceptible than men, early sexual activity, and women having sex with older men. Unprotected sex is considered the main reason for the rapid spread of HIV. Young adults, especially women, suffer the most from AIDS. A survey conducted in a border town in South Africa found that the infection rate among pregnant women was as high as 70%. In the Central African Republic, the epidemic of AIDS is also growing very rapidly. At the end of 1997, the estimated number of infections was 180,000, with an adult infection rate of 10.8%. By 2004, the national HIV infection rate had risen to 15%, with the number of infected people reaching over 300,000. The number of orphans who have lost their parents to AIDS has risen to over 60,000. Rural areas are the most severely affected regions for HIV transmission, where the infection rate can be as high as 20% to 25%, with the HIV infection rate among pregnant women reaching 22%. 95% of hospital patients are AIDS patients. Currently, the proportion of women among HIV-infected people in African countries is much higher than that of men. A statistical report published by UNAIDS and UNICEF in 2004 showed that among adults infected with HIV in sub-Saharan African countries, women account for 85%. Among the 8.8 million sub-Saharan African adolescents aged 15-24 who are infected with HIV, women also account for 67%. Especially in Botswana and Zimbabwe, the proportion of women among HIV-infected people is nearly 25 percentage points higher than that of men. Experts say that AIDS will trigger a disaster in Africa because women can transmit the virus to their offspring. Long-term wars, poverty, lack of healthcare systems, promiscuous sexual behavior, and inadequate publicity and education measures are the main reasons for the rapid spread of AIDS in Africa. The impact of HIV/AIDS on the life expectancy of people in African countries is shown in Table 1. The achievements of Africa in the past 30 years in terms of the quality of life and average life expectancy have been reversed by the spread of AIDS. In some African countries, the estimated loss of agricultural products due to AIDS has reached 50%, and overall economic income has also decreased by 25%. P21