AIDS, Behavior, and Culture presents a bold challenge to the prevailing wisdom of “the global AIDS industry” and offers an alternative framework for understanding what works in HIV prevention. Arguing for a behavior-based approach, Green and Ruark make the case that the most effective programs are those that encourage fundamental behavioral changes such as abstinence, delay of sex, faithfulness, and cessation of injection drug use. Successful programs are locally based, low cost, low tech, innovative, and built on existing cultural structures. In contrast, they argue that anthropologists and public health practitioners focus on counseling, testing, condoms, and treatment, and impose their Western values, culture, and political ideologies in an attempt to “liberate” non-Western people from sexual repression and homophobia. This provocative book is essential reading for anyone working in HIV/AIDS prevention, and a stimulating introduction to the key controversies and approaches in global health and medical anthropology for students and general readers.
Arguing for a behavior-based approach, Green and Ruark make the case that the most effective AIDS programs are those that encourage fundamental behavioral changes such as abstinence, delay of sex, faithfulness, and cessation of injection drug use.
"In AIDS, Behavior, and Culture, Green and Ruark present compelling evidence that new and innovative approaches are called for if the HIV pandemic is to be managed. Their anthropological approach gives the reader insight and perspective that conventional wisdom simply does not allow: they propose that interventions should ‘start where the target audiences are, emotionally, spiritually, culturally and physically’ and take into account peoples realities before barging in to their world with a bunch of preconceived ideas and notions about what should be happening. This is a very courageous book that anyone invol‹
![AIDS, Behavior, and Culture: Understanding Evidence-Based Prevention [Hardcover]](/itemImage/2/7/4/9/2_7156350.jpg "AIDS, Behavior, and Culture: Understanding Evidence-Based Prevention [Hardcover]")