How do Africans view the impact of HIV? A report from a Ugandan community

Abstract

Although much research has been conducted on the causes and outcomes of HIV, far less has been written about how the affected societies themselves perceive the epidemic. This is particularly true in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study we interviewed 50 residents (28 female, 22 male) from 30 villages across the Rakai and contiguous portion of the Masaka districts in southwest Uganda about the problems affecting their communities as a result of HIV. These problems formed three main categories: (1) lack of able-bodied adults, (2) lack of care for children, and (3) mental and social problems. The interrelatedness of these categories is discussed in the context of communities that are struggling to recover from the effects of HIV.