Three in Four Congolese Practice Safe Sex: Survey

Official survey results released Tuesday show three in four young people in Congo claim to practice safe sex to protect themselves against STDs. According to a poll of 2,423 people, conducted in December 2002 by the Congolese government with UN support, 73 percent of 13- to 24-year-olds surveyed claimed to use a condom during sex. Some 76.8 percent of men said they practiced safe sex, compared to 67.66 percent of women respondents, and 87.3 percent of men said they used a condom in their current relationship, compared to 76.17 percent of women. When asked about HIV/AIDS, 83.24 percent of people claimed to be aware of the epidemic and how to protect themselves. Some 70 percent of respondents believed condoms are the safest way to protect against STDs, while 16 percent said sexual faithfulness is the key to sexual health, and 7 percent opted for abstinence. Congo's overall AIDS infection rate is 7 percent, although the figure jumps to almost 14 percent in the Atlantic port city of Pointe-Noire, according to health ministry figures.

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