Uganda Sees Stunning Decline in AIDS Cases

Forbes ^ | Apirl 30, 2004 | Randy Dotinga

[johnwayne]

Uganda Sees Stunning Decline in AIDS Cases By Randy Dotinga HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, April 30 (HealthDayNews) -- Adding a new perspective to the ongoing debate over the best way to prevent AIDS in Africa, two British researchers say statistics prove a national emphasis on less casual sex, not more condom use, explains the stunning decline in cases in Uganda.

Their findings, published in the April 30 issue of Science, won't end the ongoing battle over the roles of abstinence, monogamy and safer sex in AIDS prevention in Africa and elsewhere. In fact, one critic says the research makes large leaps of faith. But study co-author Daniel Low-Beer hopes his work will help spread the details of Uganda's success story.

"Uganda had one of the worst African AIDS epidemics (in the early 1990s), but it reduced HIV by 70 percent," said Low-Beer, an epidemiologist at Cambridge University. The country's progress is "the clearest example of behavior and communication change reducing HIV."

...................

In their study, Low-Beer and colleague Rand Stoneburner examined studies that explored HIV rates, sexual behavior and government actions in Uganda over the past two decades. They compared the statistics to those from other nearby countries.

According to the researchers, Uganda's approach to AIDS prevention was unusual. Instead of being limited to the media, anti-AIDS campaigns worked their way into communities through "local networks of village meetings, chiefs, musicians, churches and care groups," Low-Beer said. "The population was mobilized directly to confront AIDS and avoid risk, and must take much of the credit."

Ugandans also emphasized abstinence and monogamy. The approach seemed to work -- surveys suggest that casual sex dropped by 60 percent between 1989 and 1995.

"They avoided AIDS in the best way they could, by reducing casual sex," Low-Beer said. The decline in casual sex, he contends, led to lower HIV rates. "This turned out to be an African success equivalent to a highly effective vaccine."

[johnwayne]

Interesting.

[cyborg]

Of course. My friend in South Africa says she wishes that Mbeki would actually take the AIDS crisis seriously like Uganda. It's all about behavioral changes. AIDS is a social disease.

[cyborg]

ping

[jwalsh07]

Gonna ppiss off Planned Parenthood, NARAL and the NEA, thats for damn sure.

[LibKill]

1. Don't stick your finger in an electrical socket.

2. You can infer #2 from #1.

[FairWitness]

Ugandans also emphasized abstinence and monogamy.

That is a good recipe for success.

[prophetic]

and maybe the AIDS victims simply died out after a while....??

[davisfh]

"and maybe the AIDS victims simply died out after a while....??"

I believe that you're on to something here.

[NYC GOP Chick]

It's all about behavioral changes.

Yep, that's the only sure way to do it.

[katz]

Uganda sees stunning decline and Hollywood sees stunning rise!

[Cicero]

Anyone who would have sex with an AIDS positive partner with only a condom for protection is a certified idiot. The ideologues who advocate that sort of risky behavior should be jailed, because they have been partly responsible for numerous deaths. But of course that wouldn't be politically correct, would it?

[Mr. K]

Did anyone mention that they use more clean needles?

[JZoback]

AIDS is a social disease

Hey, none of that un - PC crap around here, we wouldn't want facts to get in the way of sound thinking, would we?

< /sarcasm >

[Threepwood]

You know, we tends to assume Africans are hopeless here in the west, but this is not typically the case. I dealt with a lot of Africans in Europe, and I have never met people who thought more flexibly and deeply. They were also generally Christians with a degree of faith that makes mine look shamefully shallow in comparison.

Perhaps the Ugandans are a similar sort of people. Either way, this is wonderful news.:)

[taxesareforever]

two British researchers say statistics prove a national emphasis on less casual sex, not more condom use, explains the stunning decline in cases in Uganda.

How much money is being wasted providing condoms?

[cyborg]

of course not... shouldn't let facts get in the way of a good time.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Since we know many AIDS activists hyper-inflate statistics, I wonder if any of the dramatic downturn of the numbers has to do - at least partially - with correcting the statistics.

 

[JZoback]

I noticed the article was in Forbes. I was wondering how Ronald Reagan's name was omitted somehow.

I mean he did start the AIDS plague, didn't he?

[cyborg]

Well that's what happens when christianity thoroughly saturates people. I was listening to Paul Harvey today and he was talking about the British demanding Africans give up their tribal beliefs but neglected to give them something better (christianity). BTW, little publicized secret here in the US is that sexual diseases are becoming RESISTANT to treatment esp. in the homosexual sex area.

[Clive]

-