# Aids Prevention. Whats wrong with ABC? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 20, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421 "2006-08-20T04:25:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/21 "2006-08-20T21:18:24Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] I would stronly suspect that the incidence of AIDS in America is substatially lower than in Africa. It appears to me despite all the rock videos, CDs and Holywood characterizations that by and large most American teenagers delay actual sexual intercourse to well into their late teens or at least well beyond the general African experience. I also strongly suspect that Americans take infidelity much more seriously as a whole than African males. [/QUOTE] Or . . . Americans are simply more likely to use condoms, and the epidemic was heavily concentrated in gays/drug users, at first. Also, IIRC the strain of AIDS common in America is harder to catch as well. Americans have always been heavily into preaching fidelity, and ignoring it in practice. I don’t buy the idea that we are **so** much more restrained that it has a major effect on an epidemic. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/22 "2006-08-20T21:32:26Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] I would stronly suspect that the incidence of AIDS in America is substatially lower than in Africa. It appears to me despite all the rock videos, CDs and Holywood characterizations that by and large most American teenagers delay actual sexual intercourse to well into their late teens or at least well beyond the general African experience. I also strongly suspect that Americans take infidelity much more seriously as a whole than African males. The value of fidelity is built into American culture and it is even predominant from what I’ver read in the highly “liberal” slant of this message board. If there are failures I would suspect the mechanics of the program and that the targets are “hard core”. [/quote] As **Der Trihs** said, it probably has more to do with wide-spread use of condoms in America, and nothing to do with Americans having less sex or being more faithful. Additionally, in this country, AIDS hit a small, self-contained minority first: gays. The gay community acted sort of like a canary in a coalmine for the AIDS epidemic. Society as a whole got a chance to see what the disease did, how it spread, and how to fight it, without the disease raging through the mainstream population. > [@](#): > > I have no interest in abstinance _only_ programs. I am interested in the promotion of abstinence outside of committed relationships as an option and the promotion of fidelity especially. Which _sounds_ great, and if humans were emotionless robots who would just do what they were told, we’d have AIDS whipped in a couple decades. Unfortunetly, people just won’t stop screwing around. Promoting abstinence and fidelity is simply not an effective way of fighting AIDS. Promoting condom use actually seems to get through to people. Not enough people, unfortunetly, but it is far, far more effective than telling people how much sex they should have. > [@](#): > > The correlation of limiting sexual intercourse to AIDS reduction only makes common sense and precedent exists in much of the rest of the world. We’re talking about human behavior. Common sense does not enter into it. Also, what precedent are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/23 "2006-08-20T21:37:43Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] In my opinion the prevailing morality in western societies (and I hate to say it but Muslim societies as well) is clear indication that abstinence, but more important fidelity, is the best defence against AIDS. [/QUOTE] Prevailing Western morality is an ideal, not a reality. Something like 90% of Americans will tell you infidelity is wrong and they wouldn’t do it. If you ask them if they’ve ever been cheated on, something like over 50% will tell you they have. If you ask them if they’ve ever been the cheater you get unreliable answers. I’ve seen everything from about 20% to over 50%. That 90% of the population who think infidelity is wrong probably don’t have condoms in their wallets or purses because they’re not really planning on cheating. Oops! And even in our reasonably well-educated US, I still run across intelligent, educated, mature adult women who don’t bother with condoms. They’ll say, “he’s married and I know I’m the only one he’s sleeping with, so I’m not worried.” Or, “hey, I’ve had sex with the guy and _I know_ he’s 100% straight! It’s only the gay guys you have to worry about.” So we still have a lot of ignorance to fight in the US. Prevailing Western morality is a terrible way to prevent AIDS! ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/24 "2006-08-20T21:54:17Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] I would stronly suspect that the incidence of AIDS in America is substatially lower than in Africa. It appears to me despite all the rock videos, CDs and Holywood characterizations that by and large most American teenagers delay actual sexual intercourse to well into their late teens or at least well beyond the general African experience. I also strongly suspect that Americans take infidelity much more seriously as a whole than African males. The value of fidelity is built into American culture and it is even predominant from what I’ver read in the highly “liberal” slant of this message board. If there are failures I would suspect the mechanics of the program and that the targets are “hard core”. I have no interest in abstinance _only_ programs. I am interested in the promotion of abstinence outside of committed relationships as an option and the promotion of fidelity especially. The correlation of limiting sexual intercourse to AIDS reduction only makes common sense and precedent exists in much of the rest of the world. [/QUOTE] Despite our cultural differences, one thing remains constant in all humans: we wanna fuck. Another nearly-universal constant is that someone can tell people about the potential consequences of fucking and their minds will quickly reassure them that these bad things won’t happen to\* them.\* Cultural change has to start from within. African women aren’t going to start demanding fidelity because we tell them to-- they have to begin to value it themselves. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/25 "2006-08-20T22:09:27Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] We’re talking about human behavior. Common sense does not enter into it. Also, what precedent are you talking about? [/QUOTE] Well the incidence of AIDS in a western society relative to Africa doesn’t impress you. How about [Saudi Arabia](http://www.unaids.org/en/Regions_Countries/Countries/saudi_arabia.asp) > [@](#): > > There is limited information for HIV/AIDS/STD in Saudi Arabia. The first case of AIDS in Saudi Arabia was reported in 1984. The cumulative number of AIDS cases until the end of 2000 was 436, and more than seventy percent of these cases were detected after 1996. Two third of the cases are among male expatriates, who are usually returned to their homeland. All causes of transmission are registered but the main mode is heterosexual. No data on HIV testing is available. From [http://archives.hst.org.za/stigma-aids/msg00465.html](http://archives.hst.org.za/stigma-aids/msg00465.html) > [@](#): > > A doctor based in a Jeddah clinic said the most common way of transmission is through young men who travel abroad and bring back the disease, passing it on to their wives and unborn children. > > Non-marital intercourse is prohibited in Islamic societies, but it remains the most common way of transmission of the disease. At some point, Saudi society may have to struggle with questions, such as whether the promotion of “safe sex” practices is encouragement of sexual promiscuity or vital in a world where a silent, viral killer lurks around the corner, waiting for its next victim. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/26 "2006-08-20T22:13:09Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] Better than not promoting fidelity. I refer you to the words of Bill Gates (bolding mine) [/QUOTE] The program I was referring, which Bill Gates promotes, is the ABC strategy. Fidelity should be promoted as a method of HIV prevention. Now, fidelity with a partner who is already infected with HIV should include condom use, too. One of the shortcomings of abstinence-until-marriage is that it kind of leaves gay people out of the loop. Of course those pushing for this kind of education are generally also against making gay marriage legal. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/27 "2006-08-20T22:22:39Z")
> [@](#): > > If AIDS research could be de-politicized, no one at that conference would be talking about abstinence education Actually, that’s not true. Neither is the idea of putting off sexual activity just a “Western” culture thing. I prefer the term “delay” instead of “abstain.” In parts of Africa where there is a very high rate of HIV infection in sexually active adults, it makes sense to encourage young people to delay having sexual activity until they can stick to one partner. And then get tested, too. I’ve seen articles about teen groups in South Africa promoting this idea. Cultures can change quite a bit when everybody is dying from something that is often preventable. The problem, as I see it, is that some people whose agenda is to push cultural or religious morality see HIV prevention as an ideal opportunity to pretend they are health educators and use this forum to push their ideas. Ask em what they think about masturbation (which they should be supporting and encouraging, if they are most concerned about spread of HIV), and they’ll usually tell you they’re against that, too. ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/28 "2006-08-20T22:26:51Z")
And what message does absinence only say to a gay man? Whats that? Wait for marriage? Your relationships aren’t allowed…besides they’re immoral anyway…so never have sex. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/29 "2006-08-20T22:56:22Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] Well the incidence of AIDS in a western society relative to Africa doesn’t impress you. How about [Saudi Arabia](http://www.unaids.org/en/Regions_Countries/Countries/saudi_arabia.asp) > [@](#): > > There is limited information for HIV/AIDS/STD in Saudi Arabia. The first case of AIDS in Saudi Arabia was reported in 1984. The cumulative number of AIDS cases until the end of 2000 was 436, and more than seventy percent of these cases were detected after 1996. Two third of the cases are among male expatriates, who are usually returned to their homeland. All causes of transmission are registered but the main mode is heterosexual. No data on HIV testing is available. From [http://archives.hst.org.za/stigma-aids/msg00465.html](http://archives.hst.org.za/stigma-aids/msg00465.html) > [@](#): > > A doctor based in a Jeddah clinic said the most common way of transmission is through young men who travel abroad and bring back the disease, passing it on to their wives and unborn children. > > Non-marital intercourse is prohibited in Islamic societies, but it remains the most common way of transmission of the disease. At some point, Saudi society may have to struggle with questions, such as whether the promotion of “safe sex” practices is encouragement of sexual promiscuity or vital in a world where a silent, viral killer lurks around the corner, waiting for its next victim. [/QUOTE] This is supposed to prove what? Your first quote starts off by saying “There is limited information for HIV/AIDS/STD in Saudi Arabia,” which to me sounds like they’re saying they don’t have any idea how common HIV is in Saudi Arabia. There are very few _reported_ cases, but how many _unreported_ cases? The Saudi government does not strike me as a source for unbiased, accurate information on… well, just about anything, really, but especially a subject so religiously and ideologically charged as HIV transmission rates. Your second quote indicates that the Islamic emphasis on fidelity and abstinence has not had much effect, as the one identified vector for the disease is men going over scenes and sleeping around, then bringing it back. Doesn’t sound to me like abstinence and fidelity have been taken to heart by the members of this particular culture. Assuming the HIV rate is really that low, it seems likely to me that the brutal repression of women in that country has more to do with it than any particular emphasis on chastity. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/30 "2006-08-20T23:17:17Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] Assuming the HIV rate is really that low, it seems likely to me that the brutal repression of women in that country has more to do with it than any particular emphasis on chastity. [/QUOTE] Obviously you haven’t ben paying attention to the conference. The repression of women is a major factor in the prevalence of Aids in Africa. The reason there is limited information in Saudi Arabia is because AIDS is not an epidemic there. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/31 "2006-08-20T23:46:44Z")
> [@](#): > > The reason there is limited information in Saudi Arabia is because AIDS is not an epidemic there. Well, it probably isn’t rampant there, but the fact is that there aren’t a lot of data about HIV in Saudi Arabia: testing is not readily available, and it’s a pretty closed society when it comes to homosexuality, talking about sexuality at all, etc. The majority of cases (that we know of) are ex-pats or Saudis who lived in more liberal parts of the world and came home. The most recent number I heard was more than 10,000 cases. But really, nobody knows. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/32 "2006-08-20T23:54:33Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] Obviously you haven’t ben paying attention to the conference. The repression of women is a major factor in the prevalence of Aids in Africa. The reason there is limited information in Saudi Arabia is because AIDS is not an epidemic there. [/QUOTE] According to [UNAIDS](http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/global?page=cr06-sa-00) for the year 2003 there is no data for Saudi Arabia. I’m not sure what to infer from that. Either UNAIDS isn’t very good at collecting AIDS data, or Saudi Arabia isn’t very good at reporting it. According to this article by [Agency France-Presse](http://www.aegis.com/news/afp/2003/AF031211.html) dated Dec. 1st, 2003: > [@](#): > > Saudi Arabia has 6,787 HIV/AIDS cases, up five-times from 16 months ago > [@](#): > > “The number of Saudis infected with HIV/AIDS has reached 1,509 as opposed to the non-Saudis infected with the epidemic, whose number has reached 5,278 and who are deported once they are diagnosed with the disease following routine blood tests for visa purposes,” the daily said, citing Nasser al-Hazeem, director of the kingdom’s programme to fight the epidemic. According to this much more recent NYT [article](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/08/world/middleeast/08saudi.html?ex=1156219200&en=f9c25069afe5b660&ei=5070) (free sub required): > [@](#): > > He lives virtually in hiding, his real life a secret from his family and some of his closest friends. Being gay in Saudi Arabia is hard enough. But for a growing number of Saudis like Feisal, middle-aged, gay and H.I.V.-positive, life is a tangle of regret and fear. > > “You live in constant fear of being found out and attacked,” said Feisal, who spoke on condition that only his middle name be used, for fear of discrimination. “I’m sure a lot of people would think I deserve what I have if they knew about it.” > [@](#): > > For years Saudi Arabia kept its growing AIDS problem hidden. Statistics on the disease were sealed in envelopes and guarded like national secrets. > [@](#): > > Now, the government is opening up. In June, the Ministry of Health announced that more than 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia were H.I.V.-positive or had AIDS, including nearly 600 children. The numbers appear to show a significant increase in infection over 2004, when 7,800 cases were reported, and 2003, when 6,700 cases were reported. > > Officials say that better reporting is the reason for the growing numbers. But many doctors say even the latest figures are off, with the real numbers likely to be far higher in this nation of 27 million people. One physician who has treated many patients who have been hiding their condition or were unaware of it estimated that the real number could be as high as 80,000. > [@](#): > > In this highly conservative Muslim nation, where women are forbidden to drive and talk of sex is taboo, even traditional efforts at AIDS prevention face challenges. There is little talk of condom use and safe sex; outreach is focused on abstinence and fear of God. It seems reliable information about HIV & AIDS in Saudi Arabia is only now just beginning to become clearer. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/33 "2006-08-21T00:14:51Z")
Because there are so many barriers to testing for HIV in most parts of the world, it’s really hard to know how many people are infected (unless population-based seroprevalence studies are conducted). Once those infected start becoming ill and dying, then it should be more apparent, but not always. The data on diseases and deaths aren’t always accurate either, and usually there’s a lot of denial. Some governments might exaggerate the AIDS problem in order to get more international aid, but more often they will deny there’s a problem either because of the stigma, fear of scaring away business or tourism, concern about how much it will cost to address the problem, discomfort in acknowledging a disease that’s primarily sexually transmitted, etc. Even in the US, where free, anonymous HIV testing is available in most parts of the country (and effective treatment is available too, so there’s an incentive to know one’s status ) many individuals delay getting tested for HIV until they get sick. For all these reasons, it’s hard to get timely information about trends in this epidemic. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/34 "2006-08-21T00:47:31Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] Obviously you haven’t ben paying attention to the conference. The repression of women is a major factor in the prevalence of Aids in Africa. [/quote] To the same degree and kind as in Saudi Arabia? > [@](#): > > The reason there is limited information in Saudi Arabia is because AIDS is not an epidemic there. No, the reason there is limited information in Saudi Arabia is because there are no reliable procedures in place to measure the level of HIV transmission in Saudi Arabia, and the government is actively complicit in keeping it so. We don’t know how common HIV is in the country: we don’t have reliable data to look at. ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/35 "2006-08-21T12:14:41Z")
I heard something about developing a cheap Femidon for use in developing countries. Unfortunately the ‘cheap’ cost works out about one fifth of the daily living rate. - also I suspect that they would become ‘multiple use’ I’m a bit nervous about distributing anti-retrovirals, after all when someone is HIV positive they are a ‘carrier’ - it is a bit like cosseting Malarial mosquitos. Would it not be more sensible to let the thing burn itself out, rather than chucking kerosene on the bonfire ? - that, or deal with it as we used to deal with leprosy ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/36 "2006-08-21T12:35:46Z")
[QUOTE=FRDE] I heard something about developing a cheap Femidon for use in developing countries. Unfortunately the ‘cheap’ cost works out about one fifth of the daily living rate. - also I suspect that they would become ‘multiple use’ I’m a bit nervous about distributing anti-retrovirals, after all when someone is HIV positive they are a ‘carrier’ - it is a bit like cosseting Malarial mosquitos. [/quote] There has been some concern that the people either won’t use the drugs correctly because they lack the funds, or they won’t get the proper dose because they’ll share them with others. I don’t know enough about the HIV virus to know if this is true, but some people have expressed concern that treating the illness incorrectly could cause it to become drug-immune and mutate into other forms. > [@](#): > > Would it not be more sensible to let the thing burn itself out, rather than chucking kerosene on the bonfire ? > > - that, or deal with it as we used to deal with leprosy Boy, that’s a tough one. My heart instantly decried the notion, but my head is insisting it’s worth some thought. I think of the horrible abuses of that system and of the terrible shame heaped upon the sufferers of Hansons’ disease and part of me says, “never again.” But another part of me says that drastic times call for drastic measures. Africa is bleeding. Could shame be helpful in this siutation? I don’t know. As horrible as it is for those afflicted could it prevent more people from catching the disease? ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/37 "2006-08-21T19:26:27Z")
People with HIV who are effectively being treated with antiretrovirals usually have lower viral loads in their blood, so are less likely to spread the virus to others. So treatment also helps prevent more cases. When you suggest treating HIV like leprosy, do you mean quarantine? Seems like it makes more sense to treat people with medications that allow them to stay healthy enough to work, contribute to society, take care of their families, etc. rather than to banish them and let them die. In some parts of the world, like South Africa, many of the people living with HIV are teachers, health care workers and/or parents. Many have already died and sticking the rest on reservations seems kind of counter-productive. Cuba apparently kept their infection rate low at least in part by setting up camps where people with HIV could live separately from the rest of the population. This was just one of their strategies to combat the spread of HIV, though. And this kind of thing might only work in a small, island population. It’s not realistic, sensible or moral in most settings. A lot of people who suspected they might be HIV positive would do all they could to avoid being tested, for one thing. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/38 "2006-08-21T20:04:18Z")
HIV isn’t Ebola. Some people have milder strains, and even before there was treatment, some folks lived for years. The idea of a virus burning out is based on a virulent virus that kills its host quickly, which HIV doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/39 "2006-08-21T21:05:50Z")
I don’t see aids as a universal epidemic. It’s obviously worse in underdeveloped countries and is affected by cultural differences. The programs should be taylored to the region in question and like any other program should be tested for cost effectiveness. To say ABC doesn’t work should be based on research and not opinion. It’s absolutely the most cost effect method of controlling Aids on a personal level. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421/40 "2006-08-21T21:34:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Could shame be helpful in this siutation? I don’t know. As horrible as it is for those afflicted could it prevent more people from catching the disease? I think shame is a big part of the reason this epidemic is so big and so hard to control. Shame keeps people from testing to find out their HIV status and from telling their sex partners that they are infected. Shame is why countries/populations/regions won’t admit they are affected by it and ask for help. Shame keeps policy makers and educators from talking honestly and openly about how HIV is spread and providing the tools people need to protect themselves. Etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aids-prevention-whats-wrong-with-abc/369421.md?page=3)