AIDS in South Asia: Understanding and Responding to a Heterogeneous Epidemic

#486
Title: AIDS in South Asia: Understanding and Responding to a Heterogeneous Epidemic
Authors: Stephen Moses, James F. Blanchard, Han Kang, Faran Emmanuel, Sushena Reza Paul, Marissa L. Becker, David Wilson, and Mariam Claeson
Publisher: The World Bank
Year: 2006
136 pages

An orienting document describing HIV transmission routes, patterns of spread, and suggested general points for effective and economic intervention programs. I found it fascinating, but that may be my inner epidemiologist talking. The comparison sections underscore the specific factors that differentiate between AIDS epidemics in different countries. This has to do with social/sexual behaviors, drug distribution and use patterns, and, of course, policies, among other factors.

I recognize that organizations such as The World Bank must be neutral and politic in their comments, but I found it strange that, though human trafficking was explicitly mentioned several times, the risk factors identified didn't seem to distinguish between free and coerced sex workers (e.g., trafficked people potentially have less say about condom use). Similarly, there was some elision of agency about the purchase of sex that was subtle but troubling.