SOCIAL

1
SOCIAL ECONOMIC FACES OF HIV/AIDS
2
SOCIAL IMPACT

• Gender inequality
• Stigma discrimination
• Breakdown in social values

3
Gender Inequality

• In many cultures women are taught to be
  subordinate to their male counterparts.
• Womens right to safe sexuality and to autonomy
  in decisions relating to sexuality are rarely
  recognized and respected.
• It is perpetuated by poverty womans survival
  and well-being predominantly hinged on the man.

4

• Gender violence is closely linked to HIV/ AIDS
• unless and until the scope of human rights is
  fully extended to economic security (ie the right
  not to live in abject poverty in a world of
  immense riches), womens right to safe sexuality
  is not going to be achieved (WHO, June 2000)

5
Major Issues

• Lack of control over own sexuality sexual
  relationships
• Poor reproductive sexual health
• neglect of health needs
• Harmful cultural practices genital mutilation
  virgin cleansing
• Stigma discrimination
• (Adolescents) Access to sexual health education
• Sexual abuse
• Disclosure of status, partner notification
  confidentiality

6
Stigma Discrimination

• Stigma is the negative labelling of and attitude
  toward an individual or group due to a particular
  quality.
• Discrimination is the social distinction btw
  right/ wrong acceptable/ unacceptable resulting
  in unfair or unjust treatment.
• Highly stigmatized groups MSM, CSW, poor
  migrants (Haitians).

7

• HIV is a chronic illness like cancer, so why are
  HIV persons labelled social outcasts?

8
Impact

• Fear of S D impacts on testing, disclosure (esp
  to partner) accessing treatment
• It hinders the invaluable contribution of family
  members members of the community.
• It filters through other arms of society school,
  work church
• A social support group may make the difference
  btw a life of isolation, fear, discrimination,
  poverty failing health to a positive, hopeful
  approach to life.

9
Challenging Stigma

• Sensitize healthcare providers, particularly
  those involved in testing
• Sensitize HIV- persons about their attitudes
  towards HIV persons
• Develop positive HIV prevention messages esp
  through media
• Encourage HIV support groups
• Provide psychological support
• Implementation of policies that tackle
  discrimination particularly in the workplace
  the health system.

10
HIV CBO

• HIV persons play a key role in community based
  prevention programmes.
• It may increase the response to the real needs of
  PLWHA
• It reduces isolation, stigma discrimination and
  can offer means of empowerment.

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• Barriers to involvement
• Most HIV persons do not know they are infected
• Fear of stigma discrimination
• Inadequate publicizing of CBOs providing
  opportunities for HIV persons
• Voluntary work can be exhaustive for HIV persons
• Lack of resources funding, training
  opportunities, human capital etc

12
Breakdown in social morale

• As more and more adults die, younger persons are
  being forced into leadership positions.
• Ultimately there is an erosion of values and
  standards that emerge with maturity.
• The pattern of children or adolescents as HH
  means the loss of childhood, loss of education,
  early initiation in the world of work, breakdown
  in values the ultimate threat to civil security.

13
ECONOMIC IMPACT

• Health burden
• Labour force costs
• Poverty
• A threat to development

14
Health Burden

• Health sectors are directly impacted by the cost
  of medical treatment, supplies personnel,
  indirectly through costs of declining numbers of
  trained practitioners the increasing strain of
  adequately responding to the epidemic.
• The increased need for healthcare is problematic
  for countries that are already struggling to
  match the health demands of the general populace.

15

• With more money being spent on healthcare less
  money is available for other needs such as food
  or education.

16
Labour Force Costs

• HIV prevalence highest amongst the most
  economically active group (15-44 yrs).
• Direct and indirect costs of loss of productivity
  has a significant impact on a countrys GNP.
• High mortality rates will translate to labour
  supply shortage. The resulting high turnover rate
  will result in increased operating costs,
  decreased productivity declining markets.

17

• Manufacturing and agricultural sectors to be most
  affected by the disease.
• Of particular concern as well are teacher
  shortages and its impact on not only the
  educational sector but every aspect of society.

18
Poverty

• A dual relationship exists btw HIV/ AIDS
  poverty.
• Financial economic burden is initially felt at
  the individual level.
• Loss of income of infected person invariably
  followed by other resources being diverted to
  care for the sick.

19

• Children being forced to drop out of school to
  care for sick parents or forced to work to
  contribute to households income
• Poverty as the driving force of the disease is
  evidenced in cases where sex becomes a means to
  an end.

20
The Immeasurable

• There are some impacts that cannot be measured
• Despair
• Loss/ grief
• Stress
• Lost childhood

21
Threat to development

• The reduction in life expectancy means a
  reduction in their contribution to national
  development.
• The disease is undermining progress towards
  achieving the MDGs particularly those related to
• poverty reduction,
• achieving universal primary education,
• promoting gender equality,
• reducing child mortality improving the health
  of mothers

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• Ultimately ALL facets of the disease economic,
  social, demographic even those that cannot be
  measured, contribute to the threat to a nations
  development.