AIDS : the making of a chronic disease /

Since the discovery and diagnosis of AIDS, perceptions of this disease have changed from that of a plague to a chronic disease. As a sequel to the authors' previous work, AIDS: The Burdens of History (CH, Jun'89), editors Fee (Johns Hopkins University) and Fox (State University of New York, Stony Brook) have compiled a collection of articles drawn from a wide range of disciplines to illustrate the use of historical methods and theory as applied to the contemporary phenomena of AIDS. The book is divided into four parts. Part 1 contains articles that discuss scientific and public efforts to represent AIDS. Part 2 addresses the political, legal, and ethical aspects of current AIDS policies. Part 3 deals with affected populations, and Part 4 provides international perspectives on AIDS. The body of work presented in this volume portrays the utility of contemporary historical analyses in clarifying the often complex events that have surrounded our experience with AIDS. Its variety of historical perspectives yields significant insights into and comprehension of the past, present, and future of this epidemic. Clearly written, the book contains extensive notes and references. Recommended for all academic audiences as a valuable resource in health care policy.-J. D. Campbell, University of Missouri Columbia

In a companion to their AIDS: The Burdens of History the editors have assembled a variety of perspectives on AIDS, including scientific and public representations of the disease, aspects of government policy and examinations of groups directly affected by the syndrome. One underlying notion is the change in outlook articulated by Fox--AIDS is now viewed more like a chronic disease (which is ``managed'' over the long term) than a plague (which is ``fought'' and cured). Timothy E. Cook and David C. Colby maintain that television news stories influenced public response to ``the first `living-room epidemic.' '' Randall M. Packard and Paul Epstein demonstrate that some initial studies of AIDS epidemiology in Africa, like earlier ones of syphilis and tuberculosis, were swayed by researchers' acceptance of stereotypes of African culture and sexuality. Finding ``biological antecedents and parallels'' for AIDS, Stephen S. Morse says that people must recognize the part they have in shaping their biological milieu and in influencing the path of ``viral traffic.'' This collection will be valuable to those studying social and political aspects of the disease. Photos not seen by PW . (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

This follow-up to AIDS: The Burdens of History (Univ. of California Pr., 1988) includes contributions by 23 representatives of diverse fields and professions who use historiography to demonstrate a change in the perception of AIDS from a classic plague to a chronic infection. The 15 scholarly essays are arranged into four sections: scientific and public efforts to present and represent HIV and AIDS; political, legal, and ethical aspects of contemporary AIDS policies; affected populations (gay men and IV drug users); and perspectives on the social and scientific construction of AIDS in the United Kingdom, Japan, Africa, and the Third World. For larger public and academic medical collections.-- James E. Van Buskirk, San Francisco P.L. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.