Book Review
AIDS in Australia: Context and Practice
Eric Timewell, Victor Minichiello and David Plummer
ISBN: 978-0724800315; 1992; 400 pages; Prentice Hall, Sydney;
Kathleen Fahy
School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Newcastle, Newcastle NSW
AIDS in Australia is a book designed for a wide general readership; students, volunteer carers, people with AIDS, and people who want to understand the biological reality and social context of AIDS in Australia today. This book fits well with the primary health care philosophy of community education and empowerment.
In the early years of the AIDS epidemic, people looked to medicine and science to solve the problem by producing a vaccine and/or a cure. The Honourable Justice Michael Kirby in his Foreword informs us that at the most recent (1991) meeting of the Global Commission on AIDS there was recognition of the fact that a vaccine is probably 10 years away and that a cure is even further away. Given the size of the AIDS problem world wide and with biomedical science currently unable to prevent or cure the disease, a primary health care approach is essential to prevent the spread of AIDS and to care for those members of our community who have HIV/AIDS. This book makes a significant contribution to community education and empowerment in relation to AIDS. It has 25 contributors from the whole spectrum of disciplines and interest groups who are involved in AIDS in Australia in some way. The book is divided into two parts: The Context and The Practice. The Context section is both informative and thought provoking with essays dealing with the psycho-social-political context of AIDS in Australia.
One interesting chapter in this section is GW Dowsett's sociological research concerning the responses of gay men to being HIV or AIDS positive. These studies confirm the success of the gay communities' education programs so far. The studies also give direction for future efforts aimed at changing sexual behaviour in gay men and this will have implications for changing sexual behaviour in the wider community. A chapter by Linda Viney and Levina Crooks examines individual psychological factors and risk-taking behaviours.
They also studied psychological reactions of infected individuals, their loved ones, families and friends. Victor Minichiello presents three case studies which provide insight into the ways by which gay men living with AIDS cope and how their relationships are changed by having the disease. The Practice section examines the treatment and care service options available to people living with AIDS and their support people. State of the art medical treatment is presented along with the primary health care approach to changing behaviour.
The contributions of nursing, home care, volunteer support, social work, occupational therapy, psychology and psychiatry are all presented. Finally HIV and the law is discussed in relation to gay men, IV drug users, sex workers, prisoners, HIV testing and segregation and a number of other relevant issues. I can recommend the book for the general reader and for those whose life is directly or indirectly affected by HIV/AIDS.
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