Married women are also at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS from their infected husbands or partners, according to a study comissioned by the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and led by Assoc Prof Wong Mee Lian from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health with support from the Department of STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) Control, National Skin Centre and the Communicable Disease Centre.
Among the women interviewed during the study, more than half of those diagnosed with HIV or AIDS had been infected by their husbands. Most lacked sexual empowerment in their marriage, knowledge of HIV and AIDS, and did not know how to protect themselves against getting infected. Adding to this was the fact that many could not receive support from friends, family and community.
This study stresses the importance of sexual health education to enable women to protect themselves against infection, the need to empower patients and the public with the correct knowledge and support to clear any misconceptions surrounding HIV and AIDS.
Media Coverage:
- TODAY, 7 December 2013, Saturday
- Lianhe Zaobao, 8 April 2014, Tuesday