A significant portion of young French people still believe HIV can be contracted through kissing. According to a recent OpinionWay survey for Sidaction conducted among 1,516 individuals aged 15 to 24, misconceptions surrounding HIV remain widespread, fueling persistent serophobia – characterized by fears, discomfort and stigma towards those living with the virus.
Paradoxically, young people generally report feeling well-informed, with nearly three-quarters believing they have sufficient knowledge about HIV, its modes of transmission, treatments, and prevention (74%, a decrease of 15 points since 2009). However, this overall sense of understanding masks sometimes inaccurate knowledge. While a large majority are aware that treatments now allow people to live with the virus (82%), how these treatments work remains poorly understood, and the reality of HIV as a chronic condition is often underestimated. Nearly four in ten young people, for example, believe there are medications that can cure it (39%) or that a vaccine exists to prevent HIV transmission (39%).
These false beliefs extend beyond treatments to perceptions about who is affected. One in five young people believe AIDS only affects homosexuals and drug users (21%). A similar proportion feel it’s possible to identify someone with HIV simply by observing them (20%).
These perceptions are accompanied by a sense of personal invulnerability. The majority of young people do not feel directly at risk of contracting the disease: 69% consider it unlikely they will contract the virus themselves. This perception of invulnerability is reinforced by another common belief: nearly half of young people think there are fewer new HIV infections among 15-24 year olds in France today (48%).
False Beliefs Fuel Fears
Confusion is even more pronounced when it comes to modes of transmission. Three-quarters of young people believe HIV can be transmitted during unprotected sex with someone living with HIV who is on treatment (77%), despite the fact that current treatments can render the viral load undetectable, effectively eliminating the risk of transmission. This finding highlights the need for continued education about the effectiveness of treatment as prevention.
Other persistent beliefs reveal significant misunderstandings about the virus. Nearly four in ten young people think HIV can be transmitted through kissing (39%). Many also cite situations with no real risk: 29% mention sharing a glass, 29% contact with sweat, and 27% sharing food.
77 %
Three in four young people believe the virus can be transmitted during unprotected sex with someone living with HIV who is on treatment
58 %
of young people say they would be uncomfortable in at least one situation involving a person living with HIV
66 %
Two in three young people consider knowing a person’s HIV status an important factor when deciding to start a relationship
These misconceptions are accompanied by a strong emotional response to HIV. If they were to learn of their own HIV-positive status, nine in ten young people say they would feel fear (90%), and more than half would feel shame (56%), both sentiments are up from the previous survey (increases of 4 and 5 points respectively since 2025). These findings underscore that the disease remains associated with a strong social and symbolic burden.
Discomfort and Mistrust Towards People Living with HIV
This lack of understanding fuels attitudes of mistrust towards people living with HIV. 39% of young people believe someone living with HIV on treatment can pose a danger to others, an increase of 11 points since last year. This fear is heightened in certain professional settings: 44% believe a healthcare worker living with HIV could be dangerous, and 39% feel the same way about those working in childcare or with vulnerable populations.
Discomfort also appears in everyday life. A total of 58% of young people say they would be uncomfortable in at least one situation involving a person living with HIV. In personal relationships, these perceptions also weigh heavily. Two in three young people consider knowing a person’s HIV status an important factor when considering a romantic relationship (66%).
Beyond these perceptions, the survey reveals a persistent gap between scientific advances and social perceptions of HIV. While treatments have profoundly changed the reality of the disease, misconceptions continue to shape how people living with HIV are viewed. This gap highlights the importance of continuing and strengthening prevention and information efforts, and above all, combating serophobia. 🟥
