Public honour, private shame and HIV: issues affecting sexual health service delivery in London's South Asian communities

Abstract

Within a wider discussion of health service provision for black and minority ethnic (BME) 1 1 The term “black and minority ethnic” is used throughout to refer to individuals at risk of being disadvantaged by racial discrimination, institutional racism and the effects arising from differences between their ethnic origin and that of the majority population ( Macpherson, 1999). groups, this paper considers how socio-cultural factors affect the provision of HIV and sexual health services to South Asians in London. It argues that communally held concepts of honour and shame within South Asian communities create a framework of social control with significant implications for HIV/AIDS transmission. It examines the provision of culturally sensitive services to BME communities by ethnically specific and generic service providers through a case study of the Naz Project London. Finally, it proposes an agenda for future research into BME sexual health service provision.