More than 80 percent of the public have never sought information on HIV/AIDS according to a survey carried out April 7 in Beijing by the China HIV/AIDS Media Partnership (CHAMP). The survey was organized to help plan a media campaign to raise public awareness of the risks of HIV/AIDS.

The survey found that 83.4 percent of the respondents have never searched for HIV/AIDS information on their own initiative, suggesting widespread ignorance among the population.

The poll, conducted jointly by CHAMP, UNAIDS and Renmin University’s Century JinQin Research Company, investigated the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of key groups with regard to HIV/AIDS, including high risk behaviors and issues of stigma and discrimination.

Four HIV/AIDS high-risk groups were targeted: youth (age 15-29), white collar workers, blue collar workers and migrant workers in six of China’s major cities.

The aim of the poll was to help prepare effective media messages that would have maximum impact on the target groups. The results suggested TV, newspapers and the Internet are the best ways to spread AIDS awareness.

At a meeting chaired by Michael Shiu, Vice President of CHAMP, the discussion focused on the emphasis of the campaign. Wang Xinlun, a Ministry of Heath expert engaged in HIV/AIDS education for over ten years, said the campaign should concentrate on preventing people from getting infected.

A producer surnamed Wei from the Health TV emphasized raising risk-awareness through public-service ads.

Phillip N Dobbs, head of the Anglo American Beijing Representative Office, one of the partners of CHAMP, said the main priority should be eliminating discrimination against HIV-positive people and AIDS patients.

The Technical Advisory Committee of CHAMP will summarize the suggestions and carry out further analysis before finalizing the plan for the media campaign.

(China.org.cn by Yang Xi, April 8, 2008)