Private coffers call for better HIV education

Private coffers call for better HIV education

15/11/2014

On the part of the private health insurance companies in Germany, a better education about the immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS as well as more tolerance to infected persons was demanded. The majority of Germans still have problems talking about the topic.

More tolerance to infected people
Private health insurance companies in Germany have a message from the news agency dpa According to a better education about the immunodeficiency disease AIDS and more tolerance to infected people. As reported, three-quarters of Germans have difficulty talking about it with their workmates. According to that, 37 percent would say so in no case and 38 percent are unsure or at least do not know whether they would do it. Women are even more restrained than men, according to the survey.

Only a quarter would talk to colleagues about HIV infection
These figures are the result of a study carried out by the INSA Institute on behalf of the private health insurance (PKV). The study is available to the German Press Agency. It is reported that only a quarter would dare openly talk to their coworkers about HIV infection. The PKV also supports an information campaign for tolerance and exclusion of HIV-infected persons, which was launched by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) on World AIDS Day on 1 December.

„Prevention and education still necessary“
The campaign is being implemented, which addresses the unfounded fears of HIV infection in everyday life, together with the German AIDS Aid (DAH) and the German AIDS Foundation (DAS). PKV Director Volker Leienbach explained: „The results of the survey show the importance of public support for tolerance towards HIV-infected and AIDS sufferers. In addition, the again slightly increasing number of HIV infections in Germany shows that prevention and education are still necessary.“

Almost normal life expectancy thanks to modern medicines
The importance of education on the topic is also shown by a report from a few weeks ago. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) had announced that by the end of 2013, according to estimates, about 14,000 Germans were unknowingly infected with HIV. At present, the DAH live in Germany „About 80,000 people with HIV“. Most of them have an almost normal life expectancy thanks to modern medicines and could work in any profession and spend their free time, as others do. It is not foreseeable how and when HIV infection develops into the AIDS-related immunodeficiency syndrome. Meanwhile, this point can be delayed thanks to medical therapies. (Ad)