title: Public image and governance of epidemics: comparing HIV/AIDS and SARS.
abstract: A comparative analysis of the 2002-2003 infectious disease outbreak, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has affected the world over the past two decades reveals the significant role of socio-cultural beliefs and attitudes in the shaping of people's lifestyles and approaches to the control and prevention of epidemics. The main research question is: what can we learn from the SARS experience about effective prevention of HIV/AIDS? The sources of data include population figures on the development of these epidemics and findings from two sociological studies of representative samples of Singapore's multi-ethnic population. The comparative study illustrates the impact of cultural beliefs and attitudes in shaping the public image of these two different infectious diseases; the relevance of public image of the disease for effective prevention and control of epidemics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore, AS1 03-06, 11 Arts Link, Singapore 117570, Singapore. socquahs@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Stella R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Quah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D012309:Risk-Taking; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires