Sex and the Future of Russian Society; Pt. 2

Author: Linda DeLaine
Website: RL Online
Department:
Page: 2   ( 3) pages

Summary: HIV and Aids

HIV/AIDS came to Russia late, compared to the rest of the world. Being closed off to world and, thus, the so called Western problem, Soviet leaders figured their country was generally immune to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This all changed when, in 1987, the first case of HIV was discovered. By 1989, 279 children in Rostov-on-Don, Elitsa, Volgograd and Krasnodar were reported to have contracted HIV through blood transfusions. Aware of the devastating effects of HIV elsewhere in the world, the government put in place nation wide involuntary HIV testing (1991). This program is still active today.

The statistics from Russia are growing. As of February 14, 2000, the total number of known HIV cases, since 1991, was 30,607, of which 715 were children. AIDS reported cases, since 1991, numbered 385 with 126 being children. Deaths from HIV totaled 494, 102 of which were children. AIDS deaths numbered 268 with 88 being children. Most of the cases are found in the Moscow region with Dagestan and St. Petersburg reporting the least.

In 1999, there were 15,652 cases of HIV reported. This number is four times greater than the same statistic for 1998 and 1.4 times greater than the period of 1987 - 1988. The numbers for January through mid-February, 2000, were not encouraging. There were 4,264 new cases of HIV reported. The area with the highest incident of new HIV cases is Moscow oblast with the second highest area being the Irkutsk region. These two regions, combined, produce roughly 70 percent of all new HIV cases in Russia today. (source Russian Federal Ministry of Health; Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention)

Safe Sex Campaign in Moscow was initiated in June of 1997. It was aimed at young people (ages 15 - 25) and provided information on contraceptives and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). With no nation wide sex education in the schools, this was virtually the only resource of this nature. The occurrence of STDs has increased roughly 60 times since 1990. A March, 2000, survey of Moscow youth shows that information and knowledge are the key to reducing these numbers but that misconceptions still are prevalent. For example, 29 percent of those surveyed thought that eating from the same plate put one at risk of HIV. Ninety-three percent of those responding to this survey said they would support sex education in the schools.

Obviously, abstinence is the only 100 percent way to not come in contact with a STD or HIV. But, as in the U.S. and most other countries, this concept a very unrealistic. The key points of the Safe Sex Campaign were the use of condoms and the reduction of multiple or frequently different partners. This is a common message in the west and by no means unique to Moscow.

Support for the Safe Sex Campaign came in the form of the equivalent of roughly $9 million in tv, radio, metro and magazine advertisements in Moscow. Additionally, over 800,000 pamphlets have been handed out in night clubs as well as in clinics. The Campaign has been adopted in other regions of Russia.

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