CommentaryThe Impact of Disaster on HIV in Haiti and Priority Areas Related to the Haitian Crisis
Section snippets
Background
The HIV prevention community is largely familiar with Haiti's history of high prevalence of HIV. However, health workers and others might not be aware of Haiti's robust scientific and clinical response to the epidemic or the particular character of the Haitian epidemic, which is complicated by high rates of co-infection with malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs; Beau de Rochars, 2004, Hotez et al., 2008, Pape, 2004, Streit and Lafontant, 2008). These
Priority Areas
As guest editors of the forthcoming themed issue of JANAC, we will provide a forum for articles that review “lessons learned” from other natural disasters and that focus on Haiti to address sequelae of the earthquake and to advance the field of HIV care in resource-poor countries. Extensive work by Haitian scientists from GHESKIO and other indigenous institutions has already facilitated local HIV prevention efforts in Haiti, but more is needed to meet new challenges during the reconstruction
Conclusion
As our discussion shows, interventions to empower women, protect children, and educate the community about HIV are a tremendous challenge as Haitians seek to recover from the trauma of recent events. The themed issue will provide a timely focus on HIV prevention and care in Haiti as a means of forging a path to meet these urgent needs. Cooperation among practitioners, researchers, and policymakers will be vital to ensure that HIV prevention and care efforts are successful. Public efforts to
Robert Malow, PhD, is a professor, Department of Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, and a director of the AIDS Prevention Program, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, North Miami
References (27)
- et al.
Population levels of psychological stress, herpes virus reactivation and HIV
AIDS and Behavior
(2008) - et al.
Geographic distribution of lymphatic filariasis in Haiti
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
(2004) - et al.
Enquete mortalite, morbidite, et utilization des services, Haiti 2000
(2001) - et al.
Enquete mortalite, morbidite, et utilization des services, EMMUS-IV, Haiti 2005-2006
(2007) - Charles, D. (2008, March 14). Laura Bush calls for U.S. AIDS funding approval. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from...
Infectious disease. Extensively drug-resistant TB gets foothold in South Africa
Science
(2006)- et al.
HIV infection in Haiti: Natural history and disease progression
AIDS
(2000) - et al.
Barriers to care among HIV+ Haitians: An examination of sociocultural factors
- et al.
Power, control, and intimate partner sexual violence in Haiti
Archives of Sexual Behavior
(2006) - et al.
Understanding the reasons for the decline of HIV prevalence in Haiti
Sexually Transmitted Infections
(2006)
HIV/AIDS in Haiti: A literature review
The neglected tropical diseases of Latin America and the Caribbean: A review of disease burden and distribution and a roadmap for control and elimination
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Cited by (18)
The biopolitics and stigma of the HIV and Covid-19 pandemics
2021, Death, Grief and Loss in the Context of COVID-19Disasters, gender and hiv infection: The impact of the 2010 haiti earthquake
2021, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthPredictors of Condom Use Among Young Women in Multiple Sexual Partnerships in Haiti
2021, Sexuality and Culture
Robert Malow, PhD, is a professor, Department of Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, and a director of the AIDS Prevention Program, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, North Miami
Rhonda Rosenberg, PhD, is a research assistant professor, Department of Health Promotion & Disease Prevention and AIDS Prevention Program, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, North Miami
Bronwen Lichtenstein, PhD, is an associate professor, Department of Criminal Justice, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, research fellow, Rural Center of AIDS/STD Prevention, Indiana University, Bloomington
Jessy G. Dévieux, PhD, is an associate professor, Department of Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, and a co-director of the AIDS Prevention Program, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, North Miami
The authors report no real or perceived vested interests that relate to this article (including relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, grantors, or other entities whose products or services are related to topics covered in this manuscript) that could be construed as a conflict of interest. This study was funded in part by Grant R01AA018084 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to Dr. Malow.