Day 1: Technical Session No. 3- HIV/AIDS & Health

Chairperson- Prof. K.A.Parvathy, SPMVV, Tirupati: Related MDGs: 6

Paper Title	Speaker
Knowledge Attitude and behaviour towards HIV/AIDS in Selected States in India: Evidences from NFHS-3 Data	Prof.C. P. Prakasam Retired Professor from IIPS, Mumbai-400088
Countering HIV/AIDS in India: A Need of Time	Mr. Rajeev Kumar Singh & Mr. Ziyauddin Political Science & Sociology Dept., B.H.U
Positive People in Negative Milieu: Lessons from District Situation Analysis in Nine Districts of East and Central India	Prof. A. K. Sharma ,Ms. Rita Singh,Professor, Humanities & Social Sciences Dept., IIT, Kanpur, Director, Wizmin Management Consultants, Kanpur
HIV/AIDS and the Role of Nutrients	Dr. K. Vijayanthimala Honorary Associate Professor, MGNIRSA, Hyderabad
Status of Women and Children in Disorganized Families - With Special Reference to HIV/AIDS	Prof. B. Nalini Dept. Of Sociology, Madurai Kamaraj University
Factors influencing reproductive choices of HIV infected women in Mumbai, India	Dr. Emily Das Technical Consultant, JHU-CSMMU Collaborative Project Office, Scientific Convention Centre, Lucknow
A Study of Knowledge and Awareness about HIV/AIDS among n\undergraduate students in selected areas of Keonjhar district, Orissa	Ms. Lily Mary Kujur & Ms. Debasmita Barik P.G. Dept. of Home Science, Sambalpur University
HIV/AIDS and Gender: An Analytical Perspective of Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health in India	Mr. Harinam Singh Research Scholar (Economics), Lucknow
HIV Prevalence in India: Recent Evidence from NFHS 3	Dr. K.C. Das, Reader, IIPS, Mumbai, Mr. S. S. Kundu
Different strokes for different folks: Comparative study on FSW, Maharashtra	Mr. S. Radhakrishnan , Program Manager - Research, APAC-VHS, Chennai,Mr. Jayanta Kumar Basu, Research Specialist, Avert Society, Mumbai

Overview of the Session

• A common observation made by most of the presenters in this session was that their respective studies indicate that people are aware about AIDS, however several gaps exist in knowledge and there are lots of misconceptions. A study in Orissa revealed that 40% of the women surveyed had no awareness about ways to avoid AIDS. Similarly there was ignorance about transmission of HIV from mother to child. There is insufficient awareness about whether HIV can be cured. Knowledge and awareness about HIV/AIDS in urban adolescents is more than rural adolescents.
• > Prevalence of HIV is 40% higher in urban areas than in rural areas. HIV prevalence rates are higher for man than women in every age group except 15-19. Infection rates among women and infants is seen in some areas because of the lower status of women. She is unable to protect herself and negotiate for safer sex within or outside marriage. HIV prevalence is highest among sex workers (both male and female) and their clients, where the usage of condoms is not consistent.

• Counselling of PLHA should include the families. It is important to give fertility related counselling and contraception and advice regarding conception and child birth. Along with awareness on medical treatment for coping with HIV, information on how good nutrition helps to increase resistance to infection and other opportunistic diseases should be given.

• Prof.C. P. Prakasam
  A study was undertaken to know the knowledge, source of knowledge and ways to avoid AIDS (awareness about AIDS) , knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission from a mother to her child , stigma associated with AIDS among Never married (single) and ever married women in four High prevalence states viz: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra and highly vulnerable state: Orissa.
• Mr. Rajeev Kumar Singh & Mr. Ziyauddin
  The presentation discussed some of the basic points about transmission of HIV/AIDS and the responsibility of Corporate sector to address some of these issues. Corporates have undertaken A Healthier Partnerships programme which includes Distribution of condom through condom machine. This is specified in the HR policies (specific regions). They also have Post Exposure Prophylactic Access Treatment. AIDS is high in Southern half and North East part of India. Maharashtra has high HIV patients followed by Nagaland and Manipur.
• Prof. A. K. Sharma and Ms. Rita Singh
  The presentation is based on the results of UNICEF sponsored DSAs in nine districts of UP and Bihar in which a number of PLHAs were interviewed both individually and in groups (FGDs). Need for studying PLHA in UP and Bihar was High stigma against PLHA at various stages: early detection of symptoms, testing positive, living with HIV, OI and AIDS and High vulnerability - caused by poverty, poor quality of health services, low awareness, low status of women, migration of single men, and lower condom use.
• Dr. K. Vijayanthimala
  The presentation discussed the importance of nutrition to increases resistance to infection and other opportunistic diseases. HIV/AIDS people often need to make up for protein loses which may result from malabsorption due to diarrhea. Protein loss leads to muscle tissue breakdown.
• Prof. B. Nalini
  The presentation highlighted Family as a fundamental institution and Health Care seems to be an essential role of the family. Any disturbance in the family can lead to the bearing on the health of a normal person.
• Dr. Emily Das
  The study on factors influencing reproductive choices of HIV infected women in Mumbai indicate that in most cases the woman is not the decision maker, in other cases the woman may want a son, or wants to have a complete family or thinks it alright since medicines are available.The study highlights the importance of fertility related counselling and contraception and advice regarding conception and child birth, as appropriate into PPTCT services.
• Ms. Lily Mary Kujur & Ms. Debasmita Barik
  The presentation discussed on the younger generation being affected by AIDS in their most productive years which causes tremendous economic disruption not only to their family in particular but also economy of the nation in general.
• Mr. Harinam Singh
  The presentation discussed different forecasts that has been developed to study the potential impact of the epidemic in India over time.
• Dr. K.C. Das and Mr. S. S. Kundu
  The presentation highlighted the major findings regarding prevalence of HIV/AIDS in India taken from NFHS 3. NFHS-3 is the first national level survey in India to include HIV testing. It was designed to provide national estimate of HIV in the HH population
• Mr. S. Radhakrishnan and Mr. Jayanta Kumar Basu
  The presentation discussed on the study undertaken to understand and compare the knowledge of HIV/AIDS, sexual behaviour, Condom usage and STI among FSW. It also compared the determinants of high-risk behaviour among the BB and NBB in Maharashtra

• Over the years in India, as a result of developments in the field of science and technology, there has been a steady decline in fertility and mortality rates. A significant aspect of this demographic change is the increase in the number of elderly persons. For instance, according to 1991 census, India had 60 million elderly who are above the age group of 60 years old, and they constituted about 6.7 percent of the total population. The elderly in Kerala constitute almost 10-11% of the State population. While the numbers have gone up, quality of life has gone down. Industrialisation, migration, urbanisation and westernisation have severely affected value systems. The erstwhile joint family, the natural support system, has crumbled. The fast-changing pace of life has added to the woes of the older person. This session saw presenters discuss various issues regarding the vulnerabilities and challenges faced by the elderly regarding their health.