Multilateral, regional, and national determinants of policy adoption: the case of HIV/AIDS legislative action.
OBJECTIVE
This article examines the global legislative response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic with a particular focus on how policies were diffused internationally or regionally, or facilitated internally.


METHODS
This article uses event history analysis combined with multinomial logit regression to model the legislative response of 133 countries.


RESULTS
First, the results demonstrate that the WHO positively influenced the likelihood of a legislative response. Second, the article demonstrates that development bank aid helped to spur earlier legislative action. Third, the results demonstrate that developed countries acted earlier than developing countries. And finally, the onset and severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was a significant influence on the legislative response.


CONCLUSIONS
Multilateral organizations have a positive influence in global policy diffusion through informational advocacy, technical assistance, and financial aid. It is also clear that internal stressors play key roles in legislative action seen clearly through earlier action being taken in countries where the shock of the onset of HIV/AIDS occurred earlier and earlier responses taken where the epidemic was more severe.
Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA. b.y.clark@csuohio.edu
Benjamin Y
BY
Clark
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D005378:Financial Support; D014943:Global Health / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D014944:World Health Organization