Health Promotion International Advance Access originally published online on January 24, 2005
Health Promotion International 2005 20(1):91-98; doi:10.1093/heapro/dah511
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Homosexuality and HIV/AIDS prevention: the challenge of transferring lessons learned from Western Europe to Central and Eastern European Countries
Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB), Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB), Working Group Public Health/Arbeitsgruppe Public Health, Reichpietschufer 50, 10785 Berlin, Germany
Address for correspondence: Michael T. Wright, Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB), Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB), Working Group Public Health/Arbeitsgruppe Public Health, Reichpietschufer 50, 10785 Berlin, Germany E-mail: wright{at}wz-berlin.de
In order to stem the rapidly growing HIV/AIDS epidemics in Eastern Europe a transfer of prevention know-how and experience from Western European countries is necessary. The success of such a transfer is contingent on addressing a number of challenging issues. Monolithic ideas of East/West difference need to give way to the growing empirical evidence which not only shows a tremendous diversity but also many similarities among the 51 countries within the WHO European region. These include similarities regarding sexual attitudes and HIV prevention needs. Western constructs such as a gay identity need to be de-emphasized however, when it comes to promoting human rights (and thus improving HIV prevention for men who have sex with men) in Central and Eastern Europe. In asking the question of what should be transferred from Western Europe to other countries, both the strengths and weaknesses of the last 20 years of prevention need to be considered. In terms of Western European research the strength lies in identifying the social structural causes of HIV transmission. In terms of practice, the successes of instituting country-level structures while also working within the gay community are to be emphasized. Short-comings are evident in terms of reaching men of lower socio-economic status, cultural minorities and sex workers. On such questions, the expertise of Europe as a whole is needed in order to find new answers.
Key words: Eastern Europe; HIV/AIDS prevention; homosexuality
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