Behavior and the Decline of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe

Change in sexual behavior has led to a decline in HIV prevalence. When it comes to epidemiology of a disease it is important to first define the words that are used because they sometimes have different meanings depending on the topic. In this case, the prevalence of a disease is the measurement of all individuals who are infected at a given time. And the incidence of a disease is the rate at which people are newly infected. Although the authors use both words in their essay, it is more appropriate to use prevalence. It is a statement to claim that the prevalence of HIV has been due in part to a change in sexual behavior because it is a very difficult variable to calculate. Whereas statistical information on the number of drugs that have been distributed or the amount of condoms that have been bought is can be accessible, it is hard to collect data on sexual behavior. A critic would say that there are several reasons why the study results could be inaccurate or inconclusive, some of which Gregson et al listed: migration out of a certain community of study in search of employment and HIV induced death. There could have been false information reported from some individuals and some clinics. However, this is difficult point to prove when as Gregson said, 10 out of 12 sites studied reported the same change over an average of 3 years. Not only that but, the trends seen in eastern Zmbabwe matched those that have been seen on the national level. Therefore, as difficult as the data collection for such an abstract finding might be, the data that has been collected can't not be at least telling of a bigger and bigger leaning toward behavior change as the only definite way of avoiding the disease as an adult. Therefore, change in social behavior is not necessarily the main reason for a the decline of HIV prevalence but that it could be starting to play a larger role in prevention.