AIDS Pandemic In Africa Research Articles

Memory and Narrative Healing Processes in HIV Counseling: A View from Africa

The AIDS pandemic in Africa has wreaked pain on millions of people, particularly the youth. Beyond physical symptoms, the disease destroys the emotional and psychological well-being of its victims and their families. Although psychotherapists are desperately needed, most of those in Africa have not been given sufficient training in HIV counseling. In addition, access to specific models of healing for those traumatized by the news of infection with HIV disease is hardly available. Memory healing processes, which are essential in grief work in Africa, can be combined with ritual theory within a narrative framework to provide a model for bringing healing to clients traumatized by the news of HIV infection.

Hiv/Aids and the Accumulation and Utilization of Human Capital in Africa

Education is among the most prominent of the great challenges of development. This paper outlines the likely effects of the AIDS pandemic in Africa on the continent's ability to produce education and use it effectively for growth and poverty reduction. Four channels are explored. First, a supply effect: The deaths of millions of adults, and among them hundreds of thousands of teachers, will bring an increase in Africa's already relatively high fiscal burden of teacher salaries or the need to reduce the educational requirements of teachers. If not for the epidemic, this effect would be akin to an effort to reduce class sizes by about 50 percent. Second, a demand effect: The foreshortening of time horizons will reduce the lifetime private returns to education, making investments of time and money in schooling appear less attractive. Using data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Africa, we find that for every 10 years that life expectancy has increased in Africa, schooling attainment increased by some 0.3 -0.6 years, other things equal. In countries at the vanguard of the epidemic, life expectancy has already declined by over 20 years. If the effect is symmetric, this erosion in life expectancy may be expected to reduce average schooling in young adults in a country like Botswana, Zimbabwe, or Uganda to 1-3 years from the current 2-4 years. Third, a factor productivity effect: In many countries the loss of a large share of the skilled work force may reduce the social returns to skill among educated people who survive, reducing the contribution of education to overall growth. To the extent that a of skilled workers is necessary in order for positive externalities associated with high levels of education to be realized, the epidemic will reverse the gradual accumulation of this critical mass in the hardest hit countries. And finally, a complementarity effect: The loss of physical capital assets may reduce the ability of skilled workers to contribute to overall economic production, to the extent that physical and human capital are complementary inputs. As the epidemic reduces domestic savings, as well as foreign investment, it will erode the physical capital stocks in the hardest hit countries. Insofar as this in turn reduces the skill premium, it will have a negative impact on both the rate of growth and social productivity of the human capital stock.

Tackling HIV and AIDS with faith-based communities: learning from attitudes on gender relations and sexual rights within local evangelical churches in Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, and South Africa

The AIDS pandemic in Africa is devastating the continent. The institution of marriage does not appear to be protecting women – in some countries rates of infection among married women are higher than those among unmarried, sexually active women. Recognising that unequal gender relations are a driving force behind the AIDS pandemic, this article explores the position of local evangelical churches in Africa with respect to gender relations and sex, and the implications for HIV and AIDS. Based on desk and field research carried out by the UK-based NGO Tearfund, the findings indicate that these churches were largely silent on the issue of gender and sex, or were reinforcing traditional values which contribute to HIV infection. In a number of countries, the church seems to have failed to provide leadership to young people, especially young women, facing huge pressure to be sexually active. Strategies for responding are outlined. In some heavily affected countries, married women have higher rates of HIV infection than their unmarried, sexually active peers. Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, World AIDS Day 2004. Adhering to the teachings of the Church, we determined to engage more deeply in challenging cultures and traditions which stifle the humanity of women and deprive them of equal rights. We agreed that our greatest challenge is to nurture and equip our children to protect themselves from HIV, so that we can fulfil the vision of building a generation without AIDS. Pastoral Letter from the Primates of the Anglican Communion, 27 May 2003. All the pastors’ wives had never seen a condom as it is seen as a tool for unfaithful wives. NGO worker, Burkina Faso.

HIV/AIDS and Home Based Care in Botswana

SUMMARY The extent of the AIDS pandemic in Africa (and specifically in Botswana), and the lack of institutional frameworks to address concomitant issues, have necessitated the adoption of home based care for sufferers as national policy. The practice is beset by problems, given the severe symptomatic nature of the disease and the general lack of human and material resources to address the needs of patients and care-givers. A study of one such programme in the Kweneng District of Botswana highlighted gender imbalances, poverty, lack of appropriate skills, over-involvement of the elderly, deficient specialised facilities, need for volunteer capacity building, inadequate income generating activities, insufficient counseling services, and culturally determined cognitive processes as areas requiring urgent attention. It is apparent that the programme needs strengthening through appropriate support mechanisms and that alternative strategies should be devised for those whose circumstances demand them. The international hospice movement, represented in Botswana, exemplifies a philosophical and service model for multisectoral consideration and implementation on a nationwide scale. The article discusses, inter alia, day care centres and residential units for the terminally ill; a system of highly trained volunteers to work with patients and their families; consistent, skilled nursing services in home based care situations; and halfway houses for training of care-givers as possible solutions to the problem. The contextualization of such measures will undoubtedly assist in bolstering Botswana's unchallenged record of high standards in governance and social development.

AIDS and the Accumulation and Utilisation of Human Capital in Africa

Education is one ofthe great challenges of development. This paper outlines the likely effects of the AIDS pandemic in Africa on the continents ability to produce education and use it effectively for growth and poverty reduction. Four channels are explored. First a supply effect: the deaths of millions of adults will increase the difficulty of finding and retaining enough teachers. Secondly a demand effect: the foreshortening of time horizons will reduce lifetime private returns to education making investments of time and money in schooling appear less attractive. Thirdly a factor productivity effect: in many countries the loss of a large share of the skilled work force may reduce the social returns to skill among educated people who survive reducing the contribution of education to overall growth. And finally a factor complementarity effect: the loss of physical capital assets may reduce the ability of skilled workers to contribute to overall economic production to the extent that physical and human capital are complementary inputs. The channels described add up to the qualitative conclusion that among the costs of the epidemic is the likelihood that absent offsetting policies and programmes. Africas dearth of human capital will get worse. (authors)

Global Neoliberalism and Aids Policy: International Responses to Sub-Saharan Africa’s Pandemic

Like Bavington et al, Colleen O'Manique questions how knowledge has framed political responses in her examination of the African AIDS crisis. She argues that the Western response to the AIDS pandemic in Africa has been informed by biomedicine, epidemiology, and political economy. However, the biomedical and epidemiological approaches to the pandemic are, she argues, consistent and compatible with the ideological hegemony of neoliberalism. Her political economy account of the crisis raises the need to consider the impact of neoliberal reforms—such as privatization of social services and the devolution of responsibility for public health to the local level—on the spread of the disease.

The Health Belief Model and AIDS-Preventive Behavior in a Ghana Student Population

The AIDS pandemic in Africa has led to efforts aimed at changing human behavior that lead to infection. Various models exist that have potential for explaining. AIDS-preventive behavior. The Health Belief Model (HBM), which has been tested in the U.S., is used to examine such behavior in a sample of students in Ghana. Findings from the study indicate gender differences in terms of AIDS-preventive behavior and self-efficacy associated with it. These findings suggest a need for gender-specific messages and indicate that messages aimed at women should instill the belief that they have the power to engage in AIDS-preventive behavior. The relatively low levels of AIDS knowledge among the sample also points to the need for better focused AIDS communication campaigns.

Remarks spoken before the audience at the final conference plenary session, entitled: "Future directions," at the International Conference on Advances in AIDS Vaccine Development. Fourth annual meeting of the National Cooperative Vaccine Development Groups for AIDS.

Nzilambi Nzila, Visiting Scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Immunization Research, responds to frequently asked questions about AIDS vaccine clinical trials in Africa. Conference attendees had asked him if the thinks the time is right to begin AIDS vaccine clinical trials in Africa; if African populations and decision makers want to be involved in the trials; and if he thinks that Africans will be used as guinea pigs. Given the magnitude of the AIDS pandemic in Africa and the general population desire for effective responses, Nzila feels that clinical trials could commence. Yes, Africans want to be involved in the early phases of clinical trials to both share their experiences and reap the benefits of an effective and safe vaccine should one be developed. Large IEC campaigns will simply not suffice to stem the spread of HIV. Further, decision makers in Africa should be involved as early as possible to allow then time to recruit HIV-negative volunteers for trials. Finally, Nzila does not equate involvement in vaccine trials with laboratory test animal status, especially since the target population is aware of its participation.

The AIDS Pandemic in Africa

Essay| May 01 1992 The AIDS Pandemic in Africa Dennis C. Weeks Dennis C. Weeks Dennis C. Weeks, the president of Sweet Hill Associates, has served as a consultant to the United States Agency for International Development and is currently working on AIDS and other health-care projects in Africa. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Current History (1992) 91 (565): 208–213. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.1992.91.565.208 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Dennis C. Weeks; The AIDS Pandemic in Africa. Current History 1 May 1992; 91 (565): 208–213. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.1992.91.565.208 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentCurrent History Search This content is only available via PDF. © 1992 by The Regents of the University of California1992 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.