Although all three articles were interesting, in particular Jon Cohen’s Asia and Africa: On Different Trajectories? made me realize the extent to which we, as a population, have enabled HIV/AIDS to spread quickly from individual to individual. After learning a little about epidemics and their relation to ecology in the HumBio core, I really appreciated what this article reported. First of all, if we return to the beginning of this course when we learned how human expansion allowed for the transmission of SIV to humans, then I think we can see how devastating some of our behaviors have been to ourselves. This article expands on this idea by contrasting how HIV affects Asia and Africa differently – and how our (different) behaviors in both continents contribute to the continued spread of HIV. Joh Cohen identifies a number of high-risk groups and behaviors that put China and India in a category of potential disaster; but the drivers that put Asia at risk are different than those in Africa.
While we have already learned quite a bit about these different risk factors, I was particularly struck by the prevalence of intergenerational sex in Papa New Guinea: 30% of sexually active women between the ages of 15 and 24 report having sex with men who are older by 10 years. On the other side of the fact that we have contributed to the spread of various epidemics, we can also change our behaviors to prevent further spread – whether we realize it or not. For example, Masahiro Kihara’s studies show that Japanese and Thai women between 15 and 21 are more sexually active than previous generations. However, one person points out that if these women are having sex with men their same age, and there is actually an increase in the number of women having sex, then presumably fewer men their age are going to sex workers. Consequently, since a larger clientele for sex workers corresponds with faster HIV transmission, the increase in women having premarital sex could actually result in a lower transmission rate.
The second example I found interesting was the two different cities, relatively close in proximity to one another, that each had a different subtype of HIV. This example especially points to the connection between our behaviors and the propagation of epidemics: both cities lie on two different main roads, which are primary routes for heroine trafficking. Thus, we have a case of human movement and human culture (drug-use) that have worked together in spreading HIV/AIDS.
In either case – Asia or Africa – we seem to do things that contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS. At the same time, if we can ensure safe sex and other safe behaviors through prevention and intervention programs, especially in up and coming areas, then we can hopefully prevent HIV/AIDS from spreading to currently unaffected areas.
Well done
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