| 26 November 2007
One in seven young British people would not be willing to stay friends with someone diagnosed with HIV, according to a British Red Cross survey.
Carried out by Ipsos MORI, the survey of people in Great Britain aged between 14-25 shows worrying levels of stigma and complacency around HIV/AIDS.
One in five young Britons surveyed would not care for a member of their family suffering from the disease.
HIV statistics
However, only 32 per cent of young people in Britain said they were worried about contracting HIV, despite a UN report released this week showing a marked increase in incidence of HIV in the UK.
An average of 24 people in the UK are diagnosed with HIV every day, with 8,925 new infections in 2006, according to the report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
You can download full results of the Red Cross survey, which covers South Africa, Ethiopia and Kyrgyzstan, as well as Britain.
Living with HIV
The survey kicks off a major online Red Cross campaign, coinciding with World AIDS Day on 1 December, to raise awareness and spark debate about HIV/AIDS among young people in the UK and overseas.
The HIV: What’s the story? campaign is based around a microsite, including a mini soap opera involving characters living with or concerned about HIV. The site also contains real-life clips from around the world of young people discussing their understanding of the disease.
Social networking sites like Bebo and Facebook will play a huge role in the campaign, encouraging young people to share information, show their support and find out how they can help.
Visit the HIV: What’s the story? homepage
Find out about the Red Cross’ work on HIV
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