Study Shows Americans Ambivalent About HIV/AIDS Crisis
By
(BI) Susanna Daniel
Story Created:
Nov 27, 2006
Story Updated:
Jul 23, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-- Almost two-fifths of Americans have difficulty sympathizing with HIV/AIDS victims, according to a recent study.
Thirty-nine percent of the people polled agreed strongly or somewhat with the statement: "You have more sympathy for people who have cancer than you do for people who have HIV or AIDS because you feel most of those with HIV/AIDS got the disease as a result of their decisions or lifestyles."
Roughly one out of seven Americans (15 percent) said they donated in 2005 to an organization specifically to address the HIV/AIDS crisis. But the survey, conducted in advance of World AIDS Day Dec.1, also found that only 8 percent of Americans have a compassionate attitude toward HIV/AIDS victims and have donated to the cause.
This type of conflicting behavior and attitudes was a common theme in the study. More than half of Americans -- 52 percent -- are unengaged with the HIV/AIDS crisis. They expressed conflicting, neutral or undecided views and behaviors related to addressing the issue.
In fact, half of those who donated money to HIV/AIDS causes in the last year either admit they struggle to be sympathetic toward the victims of HIV/AIDS or they doubt that individuals can make a major difference addressing the disease.
On the other hand, roughly twice as many respondents said they would rather address HIV/AIDS than global warming (52 to 28 percent).
"Awareness is not enough. Education is not enough. Nutrition is not enough. Government subsidized anti-retroviral drug 'access' is not enough," said Dr. Scott Todd, director of Compassion's AIDS initiative.
"It takes all that and more ... counseling, home visits, facilitating transport, payments for clinical services, lab tests and medicines including anti-retroviral drugs. It takes people filled with compassion, whose faith and hope comes from a deeper spring than the world has ever known. The truth is -- we can make a difference."
