Survey: 28% of Brits think you can catch HIV from a toilet seat

A new survey has found that 28% of British people believe that HIV can be caught from a toilet seat.

The survey of 1,992 Brits over the age of 16 – carried out by Ipsos MORI for the National AIDS Trust – was published yesterday to mark World AIDS Day (December 1).

The research also found that 28% of people believe the virus can be caught through kissing, sharing a glass, spit, coughs and sneezes – with just 45% of people aware of the genuine ways HIV can be contracted.

Even more shockingly, 17% of people aren’t aware that HIV can be passed on by having heterosexual sex without a condom, while a further 19% believe the same for gay sex between men.

Nine percent of people think that if you contract HIV you are likely to die within three years, while 25% are unaware that the virus can be caught by sharing needles.

“Lack of understanding leads to stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV. This is taking us straight back to the early 80s – and this time we don’t have the excuse of not knowing better,” said the Chief Executive of the National AIDS Trust.

A recent survey found that 1 in 8 gay men in London are living with HIV. Find out more here.

Meanwhile, Star Trek actor Zachary Quinto recently criticised the LGBT community for being “complacent” about the spread of the virus – read more here.

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