AEGiS-14IAC: Understanding the relevance of youth culture in the fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa: Youth in privately owned flats and university residences in Durban, South Africa.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Understanding the relevance of youth culture in the fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa: Youth in privately owned flats and university residences in Durban, South Africa.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. ThOrE1407)

Zungu NG
University, Durban, South Africa

ISSUES: Despite the high level of HIV/ AIDS awareness in South Africa (90%+), in 2001 the Medical Research Council of South Africa (MRC) reported about 4, 1 million out of 40 million people are living with HIV/ AIDS in the country - and this translates to give a ratio of 1:10. Besides, the MRC projects that"the cumulative number of HIV/AIDS deaths will exceed 6 million, while the number of AIDS sick people will be well over 1 million. The population will fall significantly such that while the population rises to 49 million in 2010, by that time it will be barely growing" (MRC, 2001: 21). Out of the 4.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS, the youth constitutes a larger percentage although it is presumed that the youth is functionally literate. This scenario sends a message that there is more that the government and other sectors of society need to know about the dynamics that surround the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

DESCRIPTION: The paper argues that youth subculture contributes to the spread of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in South Africa. The following specific points are addressed in this paper. 1. youth culture versus awareness; 2. economics and youth culture (drugs and entertainment activities); 3. reflexive commercial sex engagements by the youth (e.g. 'buy me a pizza I will have sex with you'); and 4. psychology of the youth culture.

CONCLUSIONS: While it is important to for the government to dispense anti-retrovirals for those who are already infected by HIV/ AIDS, to prevent mother to child transmission or related diseases, it is also important for the government, especially the Department of Education and the Department of Health) to look beyond awareness campaigns and pay special attention into the youth subculture. Also, if it is the youth that gets more infected and affected by the epidemic, therefore it is critical read into youth cultural behaviour.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Disease Outbreaks, HIV Seropositivity, Universities, South Africa, Adolescent, Human, Child

020707
ThOrE1407