One in five people would not share a meal with someone living with HIV, or buy food from someone living with HIV.

While awareness and knowledge of HIV/AIDS is high, fewer people were willing to adopt an accepting attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS, according to a survey.

This was revealed after the Health Promotion Board (HPB) released its first National Behavioural Surveillance Survey on HIV/AIDS in Singapore

The survey was conducted on 1,768 respondents aged between 18 and 69 on their knowledge of HIV prevention, namely, the ABCs - Abstaining from casual sex, Being faithful to one uninfected sexual partner, and correct and consistent Condom use during sexual intercourse. Among the respondents, 80.4% were aware of at least two ways to prevent HIV, and 36.6% were aware of all three ways.

While 54.1% of the respondents indicated they were willing to care for a close relative who contracted HIV/AIDs, this attitude of acceptance did not go beyond the home.

Only 22.4% and 18.2% of respondents would share a meal with a person living with HIV or buy food from a HIV-infected shopkeeper or hawker.

Ms Joann Taylor, Deputy Director of Communicable Disease Education, Adult Health Division, HPB said, "These negative attitudes can be a barrier for the at-risk to know their HIV status as they might fear being discriminated against."

Young adults between the ages of 18 to 29 also showed the lowest level of knowledge of HIV/AIDS - 74.9% in comparison with 82.8% (30 to 49 years) and 80.5% (50 to 69 years) in older age groups.

To address the issues of adopting accepting attitudes towards people living with HIV and knowledge of HIV prevention, HPB has developed education strategies for three target groups - the general public, working adults and the at-risk groups.

The objective of these programmes is to educate the public on modes of transmission, how to prevent HIV infection, debunk common misconceptions of the disease and promote regular HIV testing among at-risk groups.