Aids

SHUTTERSTOCK

Study theories that young girls are at high risk for contracting HIV from older men

A study done by Carreworks show that by the time most young girls have finished Grade 12, about 7-10% of girls were HIV-positive‚ yet most of the boys remained HIV-negative.

Aids

SHUTTERSTOCK

 

According to HIV management organisation Careworks‚ more than 2 300 girls between the ages of 15 and 24 will contract HIV every single week.

“Statistics for boys in this category are equally chilling‚ but research shows that the incidence of new HIV infections among young females is more than four times higher than that of their male counterparts‚” the group said in a statement on Monday.

The study found that both girls and boys on completion of Grade 7 remained HIV-negative. However‚ by the time they finished Grade 12 about 7-10% of girls were HIV-positive‚ yet most of the boys remained HIV-negative.

The group theorise that this is because young girls are having sex with older men who are more like to be infected by the virus.

The group also encourages male circumcision, saying it can reduce a man’s life risk of contracting HIV by as much as 60%.

The group says that research in Orange Farm‚ south of Johannesburg‚ has shown lower HIV infection rates among circumcised men than among uncircumcised men.

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