1. HIV/AIDS Interventions in Bangladesh: What Can Application of a Social Exclusion Framework Tell Us?
- Author
-
Khosla, Nidhi
- Subjects
- *
HIV infections , *DISEASE prevalence , *PEOPLE with drug addiction , *AT-risk people , *SOCIAL marginality , *PREVENTION of epidemics - Abstract
Bangladesh has maintained a low HIV prevalence (of less than 1%) despite multiple risk factors. However, recent serological surveillance data have reported very high levels of HIV infection among a subgroup of male injecting drug-users (IDUs). This suggests that an HIV/AIDS epidemic could be imminent in Bangladesh. Although biomedical and behavioural change projects are important, they do not address the root causes of observed risky behaviours among 'high-risk' groups. In Bangladesh, these groups include sex workers, IDUs, males who have sex with males, and the transgender population--hijra--who are all excluded groups. Using a social exclusion framework, this paper analyzed existing literature on HIV in Bangladesh to identify social, economic and legal forces that heighten the vulnerability of such excluded groups to HIV/AIDS. It found that poverty and bias against women are major exclusionary factors. The paper presents areas for research and for policy action so that the social exclusion of high-risk groups can be reduced, their rights protected, and an HIV epidemic averted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF