When AIDS/HIV was first brought to the forefront in the mid 1980s, so little was understood about the disease and many people were frightened as well as misinformed. In the days before AIDS information, there were those who thought that people could get AIDS from kissing someone or shaking their hand. As time wore on and AIDS information more began to be known about this disease, more truthful information about the disease began to emerge. Still today, however, there are those who resist the lessons that can be learned in AIDS information.
In many schools, AIDS information is part of the curriculum. Public schools in most developed countries are teaching students about AIDS/HIV and how they can prevent this disease.
However, in some developing nations, AIDS information is non-existent. In some countries in Africa, for example, superstitions and ignorance about the disease run so high that some countries have up to one third of adults affected with AIDS/HIV. In Swaziland, for example, the average lifespan is 29 years old, due to the prevalence of this disease. Needless to say, there are many misconceptions when it comes to AIDS information in that country.
In order to stop any epidemic, the cause of the disease must be well known. Even in this day and age, there are many misconceptions about the cause of AIDS/HIV. Once this is known, then steps can be taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
There are steps that can prevent HIV that should be explained and taken by any country facing an AIDS/HIV epidemic. While there are antiviral drugs that are used to treat HIV, these drugs should not be considered a cure. Spreading AIDS information is still the best medicine when it comes to the treatment of AIDS.