Title: Legal, socio-cultural and economic aspects of HIV transmission and prevention in Ghana.

POPLINE Document Number: 119481

Author(s):

Baah ER

Source citation:

Ann Arbor, Michigan, UMI Dissertation Services, 1995. [4], v, 129 p.

Abstract:

Although policy makers in Ghana have conducted educational campaigns on the modes of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), insufficient attention has been given to the legal, sociocultural, and economic factors that hinder prevention and control efforts. Traditional medical practitioners, who provide care to 70% of the population, have not been incorporated into the national AIDS program. Women's low socioeconomic status, as well as biological factors and cultural norms, make them especially vulnerable to HIV infection, yet policies and laws have not been enacted to empower women. Moreover, laws that either legalize or ban prostitution fail to take into account the need for vocational and educational skills to make sex workers financially independent. A gag rule on issues related to sexuality has hindered discussion of heterosexual modes of transmission. To attach credibility to AIDS educational messages, influentials such as chiefs and elders should be actively involved. The speed with which the AIDS epidemic can be controlled in Ghana will depend on adoption of safe sex behavior, mobilization of financial and technical support, and mechanisms to assist HIV-infected persons.

Keywords:

Ghana
HIV Transmission
HIV Prevention
AIDS
Social Policy
Socioeconomic Factors
Culture
Women's Status
Developing Countries
Africa, Western
Africa, Sub Saharan
Africa
HIV Infections
Viral Diseases
Diseases
Policy
Economic Factors