HIV and AIDS : Vulnerability of Women in Asia and Africa

Contents: Preface. Editors and contributors. 1. Women\'s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in Asia and Africa/Kiran Prasad. 2. HIV/AIDS: vulnerability of Indian Women/U.V. Somayajulu and S. Anil Chandran. 3. Knowledge and risk behaviour of HIV/AIDS among women in sex work in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka/C.P. Prakasam, Rajiva Prasad and Vijay Thakur. 4. Perception and risk behaviour related to HIV/AIDS among unmarried female college students in Maharashtra/Jayanta Kumar Basu and S. Radhakrishnan. 5. Reproductive tract infections and treatment seeking behaviour among married women in Tamil Nadu/N. Audinarayana, J. Johnsi and P.L.K. Mani. 6. HIV prevention among youth through behaviour change communication in Pakistan: a challenge of priorities/Rakhshinda Perveen and Naseer Muhammad Nizamani. 7. Sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS vulnerability in Bangladesh/M. Kabir. 8. AIDS, vulnerability of women and media response in China/Xu Xiaoge. 9. The vulnerability of women to HIV/AIDS in Indonesia/Romanus Beni. 10. Gender perspectives on the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa/S. Ramachandran, A. Subbiah and A.K. Ravishankar. 11. Women\'s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS: key policy implications and future directions/Kiran Prasad and U.V. Somayajulu. Index.

"HIV and AIDS : Vulnerability of Women in Asia and Africa is a valuable advocacy tool for addressing the complex challenge of drawing attention to empower women to protect themselves and their families from the epidemic. This book focuses on the vulnerability of women in Asia and Africa to HIV/AIDS from various forces such as the wider social, cultural, economic and political factors. It takes a hard look at the risks of HIV/AIDS that affect women directly or indirectly through poverty, lack of education and livelihood opportunities, inhuman traditions, low social status, poor health care and lack of control over sexual relationships. The studies presented here on sexual behaviour, knowledge of AIDS, attitudes and behaviour change communication point to actions that can be strengthened and stepped up to arrest the spread of the epidemic.

The findings documented in this book have important implications for prevention, treatment and care of women infected by HIV/AIDS. They also provide insight into factors related to sexual behaviour across gender, age groups and populations. The book will also provoke fresh debates on educational and communication strategies addressing the vulnerability of women on HIV/AIDS. This book will be a key reference for a diverse group ranging across researchers, health experts, policy makers, voluntary organizations, social and community workers, donor agencies, media professionals and students facing the daunting task of empowering women on an urgent basis and focusing effective HIV/AIDS prevention strategies which will determine the future course of the AIDS epidemic in Asia and Africa." (jacket)