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January 28, 2025

Investigating HIV Prevention Education in an Islamic Country; with a Focus on the HIV Situation in Iran.

The statistics related to AIDS cases in Iran have significant differences. The joint program of the United Nations for AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated the total number of adults over 15 years old living with AIDS in Iran to be around 37,000 at the end of 2003, which increased to 66,000 by the end of 2005. This means that the prevalence rate increased from 0.1% to 0.2%. However, the official numbers published by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education’s Center for Disease Control show a total of 15,587 adults and children living with AIDS in 2007. Of this number, 94.3% were male and the most common mode of transmission was through injection drug use (65.5%), followed by unknown causes (24.1%) and sexual contact (7.3%). The four-fold difference between the UN program’s estimate and the Center for Disease Control’s

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As Islamic principles play a major role in the government and culture of Iranians, there may not be much inclination to discuss topics such as addiction, homosexuality, and sexual relationships in areas of family, education, and society. Previous research has shown that conservative religious leaders in Iran oppose programs such as “safe sex” out of fear that education about sexual relationships may lead to an increase in activities prohibited by religious law, such as premarital sex or drug addiction. Considering that HIV infection in Iran is on the rise while many other societies are seeing a decrease in infection rates, we must see what measures have been taken to educate people about the risks and issues related to this disease.

Some believe that programs to reduce the prevalence of HIV among high-risk individuals. “سلام”

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Such as drug addicts and sex workers.

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This is a numerical value and does not have a direct translation. It could potentially refer to a number, a quantity, or a ranking.

Recently, there has been an increase. In addition, schools have also included HIV prevention education in their curriculum. Studies have shown the existence of misconceptions about HIV transmission and treatment among Iranian adults, making the development of these educational efforts necessary. Proper knowledge and understanding of the nature of the disease not only helps reduce the risk of transmission, but also eliminates stigma.

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And discrimination against people with AIDS in Iran will decrease.

It must be said that the increase in reported cases of AIDS in Iran in recent years requires educational and preventative programs to prevent further spread of this deadly disease. Additionally, the discrepancy between the total number of cases reported by government and non-governmental organizations raises concerns about the lack of attention to the severity of this disease. Studies show weak HIV monitoring and denial of the AIDS issue in the Islamic world. It should be noted that issues related to relationships and sexual preferences are considered taboo in Islamic culture, yet findings indicate the possibility of contracting AIDS through sexual intercourse. In most brochures and materials provided for AIDS prevention education in Iran, the use of condoms has been mentioned as a preventative method. This finding contradicts studies conducted in other Islamic countries, where promoting safe sexual relationships outside of marriage is not given much attention. It should be noted that in these materials, a real condom, packaging, and proper usage are not shown. Considering the incorrect understanding of condom use for preventing pregnancy among Iranian adults, it

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Another issue is the discussion of same-sex relationships as a means of disease transmission. Homosexuality is considered forbidden in Islamic jurisprudence, which may be why it is not mentioned or omitted in most educational sources. Another reason may be that some organizations do not consider homosexuality as an issue in Iran and therefore do not see the need to mention it. However, the higher likelihood of HIV transmission through same-sex relationships makes it necessary to include this in educational materials. Especially considering that same-sex relationships are prohibited in Islam and are not discussed in society, the community is not aware of the risk of HIV transmission through this route. Some studies show that Iranian adults are not aware of the higher risk of HIV transmission through same-sex relationships.

Another point is the mention of sex work and its potential for HIV transmission when educating Iranian sex workers. These individuals are known as marginalized social groups who do not have access to treatment, medical care, and health education. Those who also benefit from the services of this group should be aware of the risks. Taboos surrounding sex work and homosexuality, along with the stigma and dangers associated with it in literature, lead to doubt among members of these groups about participating in testing for identification of infection and then not reporting their diagnosis. This not only distorts the existing statistics on AIDS cases, but also prevents those affected from receiving proper care and treatment.

Due to the fact that two-thirds of AIDS cases have been reported among injection drug users, preventing the spread of HIV through this route is of utmost importance. Due to the increase in drug injection rates in Iran and the existing reports on needle sharing among drug addicts, which leads to HIV infection and its spread among them, the importance of this issue doubles. The inclusion of drug abuse in all educational materials and explicit mention of drug injection in 90% of cases shows the awareness of Iranian society about this issue and efforts to prevent its harmful consequences. Perhaps the emphasis on drug abuse in relation to same-sex relationships and prostitution indicates that a larger portion of the society is at risk of HIV infection through contaminated needles.

Another issue is that, in addition to mentioning the main factors of disease transmission, methods of preventing disease transmission, such as public facilities, hugging, and/or kissing, should also be addressed. Mentioning activities that do not lead to the spread of the virus helps prevent discrimination against people with AIDS, which seems to be high in Islamic cultures.


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September 26, 2013

Monthly magazine number 13