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30 Percent People Care about AIDS Patients
Only less than 30 percent of Chinese people say they care for AIDS patients, while 43 percent consider the deadly disease "fearful and disgusting," according to a survey conducted recently. With the support of two international organizations, the State Family Planning Commission conducted the survey for AIDS publicity and education in Dec. of 2000.

The survey, with 7,053 questionnaires completed, covered seven counties in Beijing, Shanghai, Heilongjiang, Henan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan. Ninety-nine point six percent of the respondents are in the 15-49 age group, 83 percent are married couples, while 14 percent are single young people.

The survey shows that 33.2 percent of people are concerned for AIDS patients and HIV-positive carriers, and 23.2 percent are sympathetic. However, for fear of becoming infected, 30 percent want to avoid contacting AID patients, 8.8 percent feel disgusted and 3.9 percent say they reproach them.

Experts said that taking the attitude of caring for AIDS patients and HIV-positive carriers is vital to preventing and controlling the deadly disease. They called for greater efforts to be made to teach people to take good care of AIDS patients and HIV-positive carriers.

(People's Daily 04/12)