HIV/AIDS and Subaltern Autonomous Rationality: A Call to Recenter Health Communication in Marginalized Sex Worker Spaces

Sex workers in India constitute a marginalized population. They are considered at high risk of HIV/AIDS and are stigmatized for “selling sex” in a culture that generally censures sex outside marriage. HIV/AIDS initiatives targeted at this population have mostly adhered to promoting condom use, increasing awareness, and encouraging blood tests to screen for HIV/AIDS. Missing from this discourse are voices of sex workers and their autonomous consciousness. Based on an analysis of interview data from an eight-week field project, this paper seeks to centralize sex worker subaltern rationality in a call to reframe expert-led HIV/AIDS communication efforts that cater to sex worker communities.     

Sex differences in communication and the construction of HIV/AIDS

This paper reports analyses of sex differences in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to HIV/AIDS and communication about HIV I'AIDS in the heterosexual college population. Men and women differed in their assessments of risk to HIV infection for various behaviors; in each case women perceived greater risk. Women were more favorable than men regarding talking about AIDS and attitudes about condom use. Men reported a greater number of sexual partners for the previous five years than did women. Men, more often than women, appear to have changed their behavior in a direction of greater risk. Only two sex differences were found for prevention‐related behaviors. First, men more often reported having purchased a condom. However, no sex differences were found for actual condom use. Second, as reported in previous studies, women were more likely to engage in AIDS‐related talk with a sexual partner. Because of their many differences, men and women need to be targeted as separate audiences for HIV/AIDS prevention. Further, because women have emerged as the most rapidly growing group at risk for HIV infection and because women appear to be more willing than men to implement HIV/AIDS prevention in their relationships, they should be considered a primary audience for HIV/AIDS‐prevention programs designed for influencing the behavior of heterosexual couples.     

“If I knew then what I know now”: Seropositive individuals' perceptions of partner trust,safety and risk prior to HIV infection

The purpose of this study was to examine personal and relational characteristics of HIV positive individuals. Forty HIV positive heterosexuals, who were infected through heterosexual sex, completed an on‐line questionnaire designed to assess perceived risk of HIV, perceived partner safety and trust, and reasons for these perceptions prior to HIV infection. Results indicated that prior to infection, HIV positive heterosexuals reported having similar sexual attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to those not infected with the virus. Participants reported moderate to high levels of trust for their partners, low levels of perceived risk of infection, and high levels of perceived partner safety. A moderately strong, negative, linear relationship existed between perceived partner safety and partner trust and perceived risk. In addition, women perceived their partners as “safer”; than did men and those in serious relationships perceived their partners as safer than those in casual relationships. Results from this study shed light on the personal and relational characteristics of heterosexuals living with HIV and the utility of social comparison theory in raising awareness about HIV positive and negative individuals.     

The persuasive effect of the AIDS NAMES quilt on behavioral intentions

The present study attempted to test the persuasive impact of the AIDS NAMES Quilt on behavioral intentions. Specifically, the Quilt, and knowing or not knowing a homosexual or Person Living with AIDS (PLWA), was predicted to be influential in determining one's intentions to behave supportively towards PLWA.

Results indicated that far individuals who know a homosexual or PLWA, viewing the quilt had no effect. For individuals who did not know a homosexual or PLWA, the quilt had a significant effect on their behavioral intentions e.g., they were more willing to engage in supportive behaviors. Additionally, females were more willing to engage in supportive behaviors than males. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Meeting health information needs of people with HIV/AIDS: sources and means of collaboration

Background: Internet‐based applications, in particular those that allow communication, have great potential to meet information needs. Limited research has indicated that people with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS; PHAs) use these technologies, but it has not yet been examined how resources are used collaboratively and in conjunction with offline sources. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine in what ways PHAs collaborate to meet treatment information needs and what role Internet‐based computer‐mediated communication (CMC) played in meeting this goal. Methods: This exploratory study was implemented using surveys and focus groups with 23 participants in Toronto, Canada. The purposive sample included men and women. Results: A variety of both off‐ and online resources were used to learn about HIV/AIDS treatment information, including web‐based and print. All participants were communicating with others, primarily in person, and most desired anecdotal treatment information. However, few reported using CMC to accomplish this goal. Harris and Dewdney's Principles of Information Seeking was used to frame the findings. Conclusions: Despite technical proficiency with CMC, few participants in this study reported use of this communication tool. Information professionals need to ensure access to HIV health information including those in remote areas who have fewer resources.     

Insights into the diffusion of HIV/AIDS information in higher education institutions in South Africa

According to the UNAIDS [(1999). Young people and HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS Briefing Paper. Geneva: UNAIDS] report it is widely agreed that in the absence of a cure, only preventative measures brought about by education and customized information exchanges can mitigate the impacts of the disease. The purpose of the study was to review the framework, nature and scope of HIV/AIDS information communication strategies employed by higher education institutions in South Africa. Both qualitative and quantitative research design and methodologies were employed largely through survey, observation and document analysis. The findings reveal that firstly, HIV/AIDS information is provided through a variety of communication tools, channels and strategies. Secondly, in most instances, HIV/AIDS messages are not context appropriate and are unsuitable for academic constituencies most of whom are knowledgeable about the disease. Thirdly, there is a lack of synergy in dealing with HIV/AIDS in the higher education sector in South Africa. Other hidden issues involved in the communication of HIV/AIDS information have been highlighted. Lastly, an institutional framework appropriate for inter-institutional exchanges of HIV/AIDS information is suggested.     

The impact of sex,gender, and cognitive complexity on the perceived importance of teacher communication skills

The current study examines student perceptions of the importance of selected communication skills for the teacher‐student relationship. Seven of eight communication skills identified in previous research (Burleson & Samter, 1990; Frymier & Houser, 2000) were perceived by students to be important in the teacher‐student relationship. These included referential, ego supportive, regulative, persuasive, conversational, narrative, and conflict management skills. This study sought to explain differences in student perceptions by examining student biological sex, psychological gender, and cognitive complexity. Psychological gender was superior to biological sex as a predictor of six of eight communication skills. Masculine/instrumental individuals reported expectations for teachers' use of persuasive, conversational, and narrative communication skills, while feminine/expressive individuals perceived ego supportive, regulative, and referential skills as important to effective teaching. Finally, cognitive complexity was positively associated with regulative skill and negatively related to narrative and persuasive skills. Implications for instructional research and effective teaching are discussed.     

HIV and aids: Toward increased awareness and understanding of prevention and education research using meta‐analysis

This essay is a review of four projects that use meta‐analysis to summarize existing research on four behavioral issues for HIV/AIDS education and prevention. The first project considers the importance of behavioral routines to promote safer sex behavior and the need to consider how the gender of the participant impact on those discussions. The second project examines four issues (disclosure, social support, risk behavior, and childbearing) for those testing positive for HIV. The third project examines the impact that the announcement of Earvin “Magic”; Johnson on behaviors and attitudes of adults and children. The final project examines the difference in knowledge for one subgroup of U.S. society (Hispanics) compared to either White European or African Americans. The summaries of ongoing projects illustrate the importance of meta‐analysis as a means to aggregate existing research.     

Couples’ communication problems: The counselor's perspective

Marital and relational counselors bring their normative ideas about couples’ communication to the therapeutic setting and these ideas become a part of the ongoing dialogue between counselors and their clients. Although many therapists emphasize couples’ communication problems as a source of relational difficulty, it is not clear how therapists conceive of, and explain, those problems. The current study addresses this issue by examining counselors’ perceptions of, and attributions for, couples’ communication problems. Interviews with 50 couples’ counselors suggest that communication problems are common among clients. The most frequently noted communication problems involved failing to take the other's perspective when listening, blaming the other for negative occurrences, and criticizing the other. Most of counselors’ attributions for couples’ communication problems referred to stable, unchanging causes and focused on external factors. A content analysis of the attributions further indicated that many counselors felt communication problems were the result of patterns taught to individuals by their family of origin. Finally, when asked to identify the most central problem for dissatisfied partners, only about one‐fourth of the counselors cited issues directly related to communication. The majority noted that communication was usually a manifestation of other, more fundamental, difficulties. Taken together, the findings indicate that counselors tend to focus on individual, rather than interpersonal and relational factors when conceiving and treating the cause of communication problems.     

Malevolence,stigma, and social distance: Maximizing intergroup differences in HIV/AIDS discourse

This study examined the intergroup language used by young heterosexual Australians in conversations about HIV/AIDS and safe sex. Sixty male and 72 female heterosexuals participated in four‐person facilitated conversations (same‐sex or mixed‐sex) about HIV/AIDS and safe sex, which were recorded and transcribed. We focused on extracts concerning strangers or malevolent individuals who appear to be group members, along with extracts involving foreign national groups. Discourse analysis showed that groups at lower levels of social distance were constructed mainly in terms of individual responsibility. At moderate social distance, stereotypes were more negative, but sub‐typing was common, whereas at the highest levels, people were constructed entirely in intergroup terms. The findings of this study suggest that HTV prevention programs should make reference to all salient outgroups, so as to neutralize communicative strategies that strengthen intergroup boundaries as a means of reducing perceived personal threat of HIV infection.     

Vocal and visual cue training in behavioral lie detection

The present study tested the effect of training observers to detect deception using different behavioral cues. Participants were trained to detect deception using either:(1) vocal‐only cues, (2) visual‐only cues, or (3) a combination of vocal and visual cues. A fourth group of observers did not receive any training and served as a control. Results indicated that trained observers were more successful than untrained observers in detecting deceptive communication. More specifically, observers trained to use either visual or both visual and vocal cues were more accurate detectors of deception than untrained naive observers. No differences were found between training conditions with respect to determining the veracity of truthful communication.     

Subscribing to Governmental Rationality: HBO and the AIDS Epidemic

Between 1987 and 2013, HBO produced or distributed over twenty HIV/AIDS programs. These films trace a cultural shift from an early focus on AIDS as a public health issue to be dealt with through individual “safe-sex” practices and ethical citizenship to a later focus on AIDS as a global pandemic where the explicit strategy becomes a reliance on non-state actors to combat AIDS. This article argues that HBO's HIV/AIDS films are embedded within a cultural approach to AIDS that relies on governmental logics and neoliberal solutions – not direct action, but directing action.     

AIDS in Haiti: a bibliometric analysis

OBJECTIVES: In Haiti, AIDS has become the leading cause of death in sexually active adults. Increasingly, AIDS has become a disease of women and children. Previous bibliometric studies have shown the emergence of Haiti as a leading country in the production of AIDS literature in the Latin American and Caribbean regions. No information exists, however, regarding the type of publications produced, the collaboration patterns used, or the subject content analysis of this production. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the construction of this literature production. METHODS: A bibliometric analysis regarding Haitian AIDS research was conducted in the AIDSLINE database for the period 1980 to 1998. An attempt was made to identify the patterns of the growth in AIDS literature, as well as the types of documents published, authorship, institutional affiliations of authors, and subject content. RESULTS: Results indicated that most documents were published in periodicals. The International Conference on AIDS obtained the highest frequency. The United States, Haiti, and Canada were the main productive countries. CONCLUSIONS: While nearly 40% of the records corresponded to ethnology-related articles, HIV infections, sex behavior, pregnancy, and substance-related disorders headed the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) found. Main aspects of AIDS papers focused on epidemiology, complications, and trends issues.     

Stigma in the line of face: Self‐disclosure of patients' HIV status to health care providers

Patients who are HIV+ are often faced with the choice of whether or not they should tell their health care providers that they are HIV+. Although appropriate health care and safety require the communication of such information, the stigmatization associated with HIV puts at risk the patients’ pride, dignity, and ultimately the quality of their health. Using Goffman's (1963, 1967) notions of face and stigma, the present study described the major influential factors prompting the act of disclosure of HIV, the act itself, and the effect that act appears to have had on the patient/provider relationship. Phase I of the study gathered pilot data through in‐depth interviews, leading to a quantitative questionnaire used in Phase II. A sample was obtained through AIDS organizations around the U.S. and via electronic mail addresses for AIDS/HIV electronic discussion groups. The interviews and surveys asked respondents to recall a time when they had to make the decision to disclose or not disclose their HIV+ status to a care provider. The results indicated that patients typically did disclose their HIV+ status despite their strong feelings of stigmatization. Three key factors were related to their decisions: 1) perceived necessity of disclosure; 2) subjective feelings of comfort about the disclosure; and 3) perceptions of stigmatization. Patient satisfaction levels were also related to these factors. Implications for face maintenance and health care management as well as the determinants of subjective comfort are discussed.     

Role of Indian public libraries to increase the awareness of the community on HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Today Indian society is at high risk. AIDS, the most devastating disease humankind has ever faced, has become a conflagration on the Indian subcontinent and nearly 5.134 million people in the country are estimated to be HIV-positive. There is a perceived need for public libraries to provide necessary information to make the community aware of the threat of HIV/AIDS. Today's challenge is to reinvent the public libraries to respond to community needs. This paper explores the avenues created by ICT-enabled networking processes in providing HIV/AIDS information to the unprivileged population in India. It concludes with a number of recommendations that are intended to address the core problems and thereby improve the overall situation.     

Information and communication: a library’s local response to HIV/AIDS in Zambia

Objective: To document and describe the University of Zambia Medical library’s responses to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Zambia. Methods: The methodology adopted was a case study approach combined with an analysis of the literature such as annual reports and official documents. This was augmented by personal reflections of the author having worked at the Medical Library. Results: The University of Zambia Medical library has over the years instituted and implemented HIV/AIDS information provision programmes that include the provision of information in various formats ‐‐ print or electronic and, in addition, capacity building in HIV/AIDS information literacy skills. Conclusion: A library’s social responsibility calls for it to be part of national responses to crises that arise in society. As HIV/AIDS has affected every aspect of Zambian society prevention, treatment, care and support there is an understanding that the library’s role should be using the cri tical and strategic resource at its disposal – information ‐‐ as part of their contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS. In this context, libraries should source, collect, organize and disseminate information on HIV/AIDS in a way that is easily accessible to researchers, HIV/AIDS programme implementation agencies and the ordinary public.     

说服传播理论与新闻评论教学的距离

新闻评论是一种说服性文本,必然涉及说服方法、说服效果和说服伦理等问题。而这些,在西方传播学的说服研究领域有着丰富的成果。本文从新闻评论教学实践的视角,思考和探讨了将西方传播学研究中的说服理论引入评论教学的可能性、适用性、困难及相关应用问题。     

The relative effect on audience attitude of the first versus the second argumentative speech of a series∗

This research sought (a) to distinguish between the concepts of apathy and neutrality toward contemporary issues, (b) to model, via computer simulation, apathetic and neutral audiences in order to predict reactions to persuasive messages, and (c) to validate, by means of both attitude and behavioral measures, the efficacy of the model. A computer program was developed and modified by data gathered in the field. The program provides recommendations for messages which can be presented to audiences in order to test their effectiveness. Neutral individuals and apathetic individuals shifted attitudes significantly in this study. A measure of “commitment to action” revealed mixed responses.     

Interpersonal communication satisfaction and biological sex: Nurse‐physician relationships

This study examined the extent to which the biological sex of nurse‐physician interactants related to the interpersonal communication satisfaction experienced by the nurse. The sample included 153 male and female nurses. Results indicated that same‐sex interactions are more satisfying for female nurses, while mixed‐sex interactions are more satisfying for male nurses. Nurses reported greater communication satisfaction when interacting with female physicians.