South Africa: HIV now spreading fastest among rich and educated

Health-e (Cape Town)
January 30, 2007
Khopotso Bodibe

Startling new evidence from a three-year survey shows that HIV is now growing fastest among those who are wealthier and educated.
"Our belief that HIV is a disease of the impoverished, the unemployed, the uneducated is actually wrong," says Professor Carel van Aardt, Director of Research at UNISA's Bureau of Market Research.

"It seems that the most rapid growth at the moment is among the educated, among the employed, among the people with higher incomes, and also the people in high class in society.

"And it's putting really at risk also, a very substantial part of the growing black diamond class in South Africa, which is very necessary for future economic development and we're also seeing a very high growth among the white group that was for a long time believed not to be so heavily affected by HIV/AIDS.

Van Aardt described the current trend as a "third epidemic", following after the first HIV infections, which were mainly confined to gay men, and the second, which predominantl affected poor heterosexuals.

Data gathered over the research period shows a consistent rise in HIV infections among professionals and people in permanent employment.

In 2002, an estimated 6.2% of professional people were HIV-positive. By 2004, had increased to 8.3% -- an increase of 34%.

HIV infection among full-time employees has increased from about 14.1 % in 2002 to about 19.2 % by 2005 - a 36% increase.

Van Aardt says that there has also been an HIV increase of almost 40% among the economic elite - "the drivers of the economy in terms of also their household expenditure". The HIV rate among this group is 8.5%. (...)

To read the article, click here