AIDS In Africa Mostly Caused By Unprotected Sex... (3)
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We keep hearing that "AIDS In Africa Mostly Caused By Unpro-
tected Sex." That's like saying the cause of headaches is not
taking aspirins! This is the kind of nonsense that sells pharma-
ceutical products but misleads sound public health policy and
interventions.
Let me just provide two examples to challenge this fuzzy think-
ing. The areas of Uganda and Zambia with the lowest rates of HIV
prevalence (Karamoja, Uganda - consisting of two districts-with
1.7% HIV prevalence compared to 6.5% nationally), and the North-
ern Province of Zambia (8% prevalence compared with 16% nation-
ally, according to a recent DHS population-based survey) actu-
ally have the lowest rates of condom use (in the case of Uganda)
or at least below average condom use (in the case of Zambia). So
here we have high levels of "Unprotected Sex". We would expect
to have high levels of HIV infection. We don't. We in fact have
the lowest infection levels in Uganda and Zambia.
Why these low rates of HIV infection? Because these districts of
Uganda and Zambia have the lowest rates of casual sex, specifi-
cally the lowest levels of those reporting 2+ partners in the
past year. Casual sex is what drives sexually transmitted AIDS,
not latex of lack of latex.
Edward C. Green
mailto:EGreendc@aol.com