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HIV/AIDS: a threat to the viability of the societies it attacks

Marcela Villarreal (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy)

Kybernetes

ISSN: 0368-492X

Article publication date: 1 January 2006

1707

Abstract

Purpose

To provide a new understanding of the AIDS epidemic and its implications in order to improve the responses from governments and the development community.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper briefly describes the AIDS epidemic as it relates to development and to rural development in particular, and analyses these interactions from a systems perspective, inspired by the viable systems model approach.

Findings

The paper concludes that HIV/AIDS poses a clear threat to the viability of the societies where the prevalence rates exceed a certain threshold (determined by agro‐ecological and other contextual and organisational characteristics). It shows that in order to be effective, the AIDS epidemic needs a systemic response, involving all development sectors and that responses that involve only the health sector cannot address the systemic nature of the damage the epidemic creates, once the prevalence rates go beyond the said threshold.

Practical implications

An understanding that the epidemic may render societies non viable may move decision makers more decisively to action and an understanding of the systemic nature of the response needed may prompt an adequate organisation of this action.

Originality/value

The paper analyses the AIDS epidemic in an innovative way, contributing to the understanding of its dynamics and implications as well as to the means of addressing them. The paper is useful for policy makers, government officials and development planners to be aware of these and to take them into consideration in the design/implementation of policies, programmes and projects. It should also be of value to academics who wish to deepen their understanding of the epidemic.

Keywords

Citation

Villarreal, M. (2006), "HIV/AIDS: a threat to the viability of the societies it attacks", Kybernetes, Vol. 35 No. 1/2, pp. 195-208. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920610640317

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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