Last week, the YouGov Poll asked Americans whether they knew someone with HIV or AIDS. Just about one in five did. There wasn’t much difference between men and women or between age groups. There were difference between Republicans and Democrats, with Democrats twice as likely as Republicans to know someone now living with HIV.

But there are medications now to keep those with HIV alive and relatively healthy. There weren’t any in the 1980’s, when AIDS first appeared. Asked if they know someone living with HIV or who has died from it, the percentage rises.

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Age matters now. A third or more of those 30 and older say they know someone with HIV, when you include those who died of the disease. Women are also more likely than men to say they know – or knew -- someone.

And while just 13% of Republicans last week said they knew someone now living with HIV, when you include those who may have died in the past, almost a quarter (25%) say so. More than a third of Democrats know someone.

Photo source: Press Association