Characterizing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Middle East and North Africa
Subtitle: time for strategic action
By: Laith Abu-Raddad ... [et al.].
Contributors: Abu-Raddad, Laith.; World Bank.
Publisher: World Bank
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Washington, DC
Language: eng
Number of pages: 282
ISBN-13: 9780821381373
Subjects: AIDS (Disease) -- Middle East; AIDS (Disease) -- Africa, North; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome -- epidemiology -- Africa, Northern; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome -- epidemiology -- Middle East; HIV Infections -- epidemiology -- Africa, Northern; HIV Infections -- epidemiology -- Middle East; HIV Infections -- transmission -- Africa, Northern; HIV Infections -- transmission -- Middle East; Health Planning -- Africa, Northern; Health Planning -- Middle East; Health Policy -- Africa, Northern; Health Policy -- Middle East; Risk Factors -- Africa, Northern; Risk Factors -- Middle East
Description: Despite a fair amount of progress on understanding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemiology globally, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the only region where knowledge of the epidemic continues to be very limited, and subject to much controversy. It has been more than 25 years since the discovery of HIV, but no scientific study has provided a comprehensive data-driven synthesis of HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) infectious spread in this region. The current report provides the first comprehensive scientific assessment and data-driven epidemiological synthesis of HIV spread in MENA since the beginning of the epidemic. It is based on a literature review and analysis of thousands of widely unrecognized publications, reports, and data sources extracted from scientific literature or collected from sources at the local, national, and regional levels. The recommendations provided here focus on key strategies related to the scope of this report and its emphasis on understanding HIV epidemiology in MENA as a whole. The recommendations are based on identifying the status of the HIV epidemic in MENA, through this synthesis, as a low HIV prevalence setting with rising concentrated epidemics among priority populations. General directions for prevention interventions as warranted by the outcome of this synthesis are also discussed briefly, but are not delineated because they are beyond the scope of this report. This report was not intended to provide intervention recommendations for each MENA country.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: Background and rationale; title: Conceptual framework and research methodology; title: Injecting drug users and HIV; title: Men who have sex with men and HIV; title: Commercial sex and HIV; title: Potential bridging populations and HIV; title: General population and HIV; title: Further evidence related to HIV epidemiology in MENA; title: Condom knowledge and use and HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes; title: HIV/AIDS and vulnerability settings; title: Proxy biological markers of sexual risk behavior; title: Analytical insights into HIV transmission dynamics and epidemic potential in MENA; title: Snapshot on response to HIV epidemic in MENA : linking evidence with policy and programmatic action to avert the epidemic; title: Summary of recommendations.