Socio-Economic Impact of HIV and AIDS in Tamil nadu

four rounds of Behaviour Surveillance
Surveys (BSS) conducted by the USAIDfunded
AIDS Project and Control (APAC)
in Tamil Nadu. For example, condom use
among Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs)
went up from 56 percent in 1996 to 88
percent in 1999. Similarly, condom use
during paid sex among transport workers
rose from 55 percent in 1996 to 80 percent
in 1999 (APAC, 2000).
However, the battle against HIV and AIDS
has not yet been won in Tamil Nadu;
through the first signs of a possibility
of slowing down the epidemic have
been seen. Given the scarcity of data,
even this tentative conclusion must be
viewed with caution. It is yet to be seen
whether the flattering trend of antenatal
HIV prevalence continues in the coming
years.
1.3 Objectives of the
present study
The factors responsible for the highprevalence
of HIV in the state clearly
indicate that the problem of HIV and
AIDS has deep social and economic
roots. Hence, its impact reaches far
beyond the health sector with severe
social and economic consequences.
It affects the individual, family and
the community at the micro-level and
various sectors of the economy at the
macro-level. However, it has been
found that the economic impact of the
HIV epidemic is most significant at the
family and community level – especially
among the poor and marginalised
groups – rather than at national, macro
levels, particularly in South Asia (UNDP,
2003). The present study is an attempt
to assess the impact of HIV and AIDS
at the level of affected persons and
their households. It is hoped that this
study will throw some light on specific
strategies that are needed to alleviate
the problems faced by HIV affected
households in a developing country.
The objective of this study is to analyse
the nature and type of socio-economic
impact of HIV and AIDS on the affected
individuals and their households in the
state of Tamil Nadu. The study focuses
on:
1) Impact on household income,
consumption and savings
2) Impact on change of job/loss of
employment of the HIV affected
individuals and of the caregivers
3) Impact on the education of the
children of the affected families
4) Effect on the health status of the
PLWHA, pattern of morbidity, their
health-seeking behaviour and
the expenditure incurred by the
households on medical treatment of
opportunistic infections (OIs)
5) Coping mechanisms adopted by the
HIV and AIDS affected families and
the availability of social security
6) The social impact on the affected
persons and their families, which
includes stigma and discrimination
faced by PLWHA at various settings;
namely, in the neighbourhood,
community, and health facilities
and at the workplace. The study also
documents the overall experiences
of the PLWHA with reference to their
reaction to their HIV status, discovery
and disclosure of HIV status and
the attitude of their family towards
them.
This report is divided into eight chapters
and in the following chapter the
methodology used for conducting the
household survey and the qualitative
research methods used for gathering
information are discussed. Chapter three
presents background characteristics
of the sample households and a brief
profile of the sample PLWHA who were
The objective of
this study is to
analyse the nature
and type of socioeconomic
impact
of HIV and AIDS
on the affected
individuals and
their households
in the state of
Tamil Nadu
Introduction 7