A?majority of the city's HIV carriers and AIDS patients
have a poor educational background, say experts from the Shanghai
Public Health Center.
Research found that most people affected with HIV had middle
school education or below.
"People with better education always have higher awareness of
self-protection and a better understanding of how to prevent AIDS
and other sex-related diseases," said the health center's Lu
Hongzhou.
Cases of HIV/AIDS reported in Shanghai last year were nearly 70
percent higher than those in 2005, Shanghai Health Bureau officials
said. By November 20 last year, the city had registered 621 new HIV
carriers, compared with the previous year's 370. It also reported
46 new AIDS patients, double 2005's figure.
Shanghai's first HIV case was reported in 1987, and the total
reached 2,313 last year with 100 deaths.
According to last year's figures, more than 80 percent of HIV
carriers were from out of town, and in that group intravenous drug
use was the main cause. For people living in the city, the chief
culprit was unprotected sex.
The bureau is opening methadone maintenance centers in seven
districts.
(Shanghai Daily November 23,2007)
