YOUNG Slovaks are ignorant of the state of their health, a new poll showed.
According to the poll, 82.3 percent considered having an HIV test carried out yet in reality only 23.8 percent did have the test.
The most frequent reason why young people do not undergo these tests, reports the poll, is the lack of testing facilities.
Among other reasons for the low test rate, many respondents also said that they had no reason to fear HIV or other venereal diseases. Many also feared that their identity would be revealed if they had the test.
"Young people have no information about the possibilities of testing, they do not go for HIV tests after becoming sexually active and undervalue the risk of contagion. Effectively, they do not really know their health condition," said Soňa Javorková from the Odyseus NGO, which organized the poll, SITA wrote.
17. Jul 2006 at 0:00
