LESSON 12
MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HIV/AIDS
After this lesson, the student should be able to:
state the common myths and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS; and
explain such myths and misconceptions to your students, friends and relations.
As is with all new diseases whose curses have not been discovered, there has been some myths and misconceptions built around HIV/AIDS. A myth is an imaginary, fictitious or invented story about a thing or event. A misconception on the other hand is a wrong understanding of a thing or concept. Indeed, lack of adequate knowledge of a thing leads to misconception which in turn leads to the development of myths around the subject matter. Therefore, most of the myths and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS grew out of lack of adequate knowledge of the disease. The problem has also been exacerbated by the difficulties being faced today about finding a cure for the disease.
Years ago when there was a general outbreak of small pox, a viral infection, the Yorubas of Western Nigeria attributed it to an evil spirit commonly called “Sopona” by the local people. Although small pox had virtually been eradicated, the name “Sopona” is still commonly used to refer to small pox and it is still believed that the sopona spirit can be invoked to attack a Felon or an imaginary enemy.
So it is with HIV/AIDS and most of the very weird things people do in their quest for a cure for the disease are informed by the myths and misconceptions that are haboured about it. For instance in South Africa, it is believed that a carrier can be cured if he sleeps with a baby, a problem that has led to many horrendous happenings in that country.
Some of the myths and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS will include the following:
(1) sharing food with an infected person; can lead to infection;
(2) hugging an infected person; will lead to an infection;
(3) insect bites; can cause infection;
(4) that HIV/AIDS is a disease of the gay community;
(5) that it cannot be contacted through oral sex;
(6) since two individuals are in love, they cannot infect each other irrespective of their sexual history;
(7) that it is better not to go for an HIV test because, what a man does not know does not kill him;
(8) that people over 50 years of age cannot contract the diseases.
(9) If sexual intercourse can take place without bruises through which the virus can gain entry into the blood stream, a man cannot be infected.
All these myths and misconceptions have since been proved to be untrue by science. For instance it has been proved that the amount of the virus in saliva is so infinitesimal that it cannot cause an infection. Hence sharing food or drinking glasses with an infected person does not lead to an infection. Same goes for hugging, sitting with or being in close contact with an infected person.
In the early days of HIV/AIDS, the general belief was that it was a disease of the gay community, understandably so because the first set of diagnosed cases came from homosexuals. However, scientific investigations have proved that HIV/AIDS infection is present in all populations, homosexuals, heterosexuals, children, men or women of varying backgrounds.
When people are in love, they also habour some wrong conceptions about the possibility of being infected by their partner. The misconception is that since my partner is not sleeping around, he or she cannot possibly be a carrier. This kind of misconception can be very deadly because more often than not, we are very ignorant of the sexual activities of our partners before we meet them. Since the virus can incubate in the human system for many years before the first symptoms start appearing, we stand a great risk of HIV Infection and the only assurance we have is for both partners to go for a test and hopefully thereafter remain faithful to each other.
Another misconception is the belief that if we go for an HIV test and it turns out to be positive, the life of the infected person get shorter because of the trauma that follows that knowledge. The common saying is that “what one does not know, does not kill him”. This is another deadly believe because an early detection of HIV presence will ultimately prolong the carrier’s life because of the efficacy of the latest drugs that are available on the disease. HIV carriers now live more normal lives and longer than hitherto possible.
A growing myth about HIV/AIDS is that for oral sex you do not need a condom. This is a misconception because the amount of the virus in the semen is much larger than in the saliva. Hence, while infection cannot occur through kissing, it can occur through oral sex. Related to this myth also is the misconception that HIV can only be contracted through the mixing of bloods. Thus it is erroneously believed that a sexual intercourse that does not lead to the bruising of the sex organ of the man leaves him free of infection.
Resources: Newspaper cuttings myths and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS
Procedure: Lead students to discuss the myths and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. Post the newspaper cuttings for students to review over a two week period. Engage students in discussions to evaluate local, national and international myths and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS.
In this lesson we learnt that:
- HIV/AIDS cannot be contracted through hugging, sharing food or eating utensils with infected persons;
- HIV/AIDS is not caused by some supernatural spirit. Its cause has been scientifically researched and identified;
- That your partner is faithful now is not a guarantee against an infection if he or she had previously had other relationships;
- HIV/AIDS is not limited to a group of people such as homosexuals. It is a disease that has been found in all populations.
- HIV/AIDS can be contracted through oral sex contrary to the common believe among lovers of oral sex;
- An early diagnosis of HIV/AIDS does indeed prolong the live of the infected person rather than shorten it as previously held due to the efficacy of available drugs.