AIDS: The Making of a Chronic Disease

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.)