Public attitudes towards HIV

One in five British adults do not realise HIV can be transmitted through unprotected sex between a man and a woman.

An Ipsos survey for the National AIDS Trust (NAT) reveals that 20% of the public do not identify sex without a condom between a man and a woman as a way in which HIV can be passed from person to person, when shown a list of possible routes. The survey explores public understanding of HIV transmission, the realities of HIV in the UK today, and attitudes towards people with HIV.

Key findings include:

• Four fifths (80%) of British adults are aware that HIV can be transmitted through sex without a condom between a man and a woman
• The same figure (80%) are aware that HIV can be transmitted through sex without a condom between two men
• Less than half (45%) of adults are aware that HIV can be transmitted by sharing needles or syringes
• One in ten (10%) incorrectly believe HIV can be transmitted through spitting, and 9% believe it can be transmitted through kissing someone
• More than one in ten (12%) adults don’t think they know enough about how to prevent HIV transmission during sex
• One in ten (11%) adults don’t have much sympathy for people with HIV. This rises to 30% who don’t have much sympathy for people with HIV if they were infected through unprotected sex, and 46% who don’t have much sympathy if they were infected through injecting drugs
• Three quarters (74%) believe people with HIV deserve the same level of support and respect as people with cancer
• Approaching two-fifths (38%) believe their employer should tell them if one if their work colleagues is HIV positive
• The majority (85%) of adults believe all young people should be taught about HIV at secondary school (i.e. ages 11-16) to ensure they have a good understanding of the condition by the time they leave

Downloads

• Download the full report (PDF)
• Download the Great Britain topline (PDF)
• Download the Scottish topline (PDF)
• Download the data tables (PDF)

Technical details This survey was carried out using Ipsos’s Omnibus survey. A nationally representative quota sample of 1,944 adults aged 16+ were interviewed from 5 – 11 November 2010 across Great Britain. Interviews were conducted face-to-face, in-home. Data have been weighted to the known population profile of Great Britain.