WAR, FORCED MIGRATION, AND HIV/AIDS RISKS IN ANGOLA

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DESCRIPTION (provided by investigator): In the growing body of literature on HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa studies focusing on populations affected by wars and other forms of political violence are notably few. Yet given the scope and pervasiveness of military conflicts in the sub-continent and the magnitude of their humanitarian and health impact, this focus is critically important. Social and physical vulnerability of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) may translate into increased HIV/AIDS risks, and these increased risks may persist long after hostilities cease. The proposed pilot study will produce an initial assessment of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, perceptions, and risks among IDPs residing in the largest urban area of Angola. This initial assessment will lay the groundwork for a subsequent national-level study of the HIV/AIDS situation in Angola for which funding will be requested later. Aside from the few IDPs camps that are presently being dismantled, most IDPs have settled in slums surrounding Angolan cities, especially its sprawling capital Luanda. However, while some suburban communities have emerged due to the influx of IDPs or have become demographically dominated by them, others are composed primarily of longer-term residents who were either born in the city or migrated for reasons not directly related to war. This pattern of settlement offers a possibility to explore the specifics of IDPs' HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, perceptions, and risks through a comparison between communities where IDPs predominate and those where they do not, and in turn, between IDPs and non-IDPs in each of the two types of communities. Differences among IDPs themselves, especially those defined by gender, may bear on their perceptions of and exposure to HIV/AIDS risks. The proposed project will have the following specific objectives: to draw a migration profile of IDPs; to examine IDPs' vs. non-IDPs' incorporation into urban society; to compare IDPs and non-IDPs with respect to understanding and awareness of HIV/AIDS risks, knowledge of prevention, and exposure to HIV/AIDS risks; and to explore possible influences of the community context on IDPs' awareness of and exposure to HIV/AIDS risks. To achieve these objectives survey and qualitative data will be collected in two peri-urban municipalities of Luanda--one populated mainly by IDPs and another populated mainly by non-IDPs.