BMJ  2005;331:294 (30 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7511.294

Letter

Searching for papal scapegoats is pointless

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Scalise and Bognolo ask whether the new pope will change Vatican policy on HIV.¹ On the basis of statistical evidence it would seem detrimental to the HIV situation in Africa if he did authorise such a change.

A regression analysis done on the HIV situation in Africa indicates that the greater the percentage of Catholics in any country, the lower the level of HIV. If the Catholic Church is promoting a message about HIV in those countries it seems to be working.

On the basis of data from the World Health Organization,² in Swaziland where 42.6% have HIV, only 5% of the population is Catholic. In Botswana, where 37% of the adult population is HIV infected, only 4% of the population is Catholic. In South Africa, 22% of the population is HIV infected, and only 6% is Catholic. In Uganda, with 43% of the population Catholic, the proportion . . . [Full text of this article]

Australasian Bioethics Information, Chatswood, NSW 2069, Australia a.abboud@unsw.edu.au

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