Globe and Mail Examines Factors Contributing to Lowered HIV Prevalence in Uganda

Toronto's Globe and Mail on Saturday examined factors that might have contributed to Uganda's lowered HIV prevalence over the past 20 years, sometimes referred to as the "Ugandan miracle." In the late 1980s, nearly one-third of Uganda's adult population was HIV-positive, but now the country's HIV prevalence is about 6%. Although most people attribute Uganda's declining prevalence to the government's implementation of the "ABC" HIV prevention method -- which advocates abstinence, being faithful and using condoms -- some recent studies suggest there might have been additional influences. According to researchers from Columbia University and Johns Hopkins University, the "single greatest factor" of the decline is the large number of HIV-positive people who died during the 20-year period, the Globe and Mail reports. Other research suggests that condoms are the primary reason for the slow of HIV transmission, according to the Globe and Mail (Nolen, Globe and Mail, 4/30). The complete article is available online.