SOCIAL VS BIOLOGICAL - THEORIES ON THE TRANSMISSION OF AIDS IN AFRICA

There are fundamental differences in the epidemiological patterns of A IDS in Africa and the United States. A number of theories have been ad vanced to explain these differences. These theories may be divided int o two basic approaches, theories based upon biological explanations an d theories based upon social explanations. Biological based theories i nclude a socio-biological explanation and a natural history explanatio n. The social theories may be divided into three theories which are hi storical/materialist in their explanation of AIDS in Africa and one th eory which is primarily idealist and cultural in its explanation. The present article critically examines these biological and social theori es. It argues that the biological theories lack scientific support, la ck sufficient evidential support, have an inequality of cause and effe ct, and fail to integrate the micro/macro. This article argues that th e social theories also have some major difficulties including, in some cases, a failure to integrate the micro/macro and a lack of adequate or sufficient causation to produce the massive epidemic of AIDS in Afr ica. There are difficulties with the quality of evidence and support f or the social theories and more research needs to be conducted, partic ularly in the form of retrospective studies, to determine the validity of various social theories which attempt to explain the epidemiologic al patterns of the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Copyright (C) 1996 Publish ed by Elsevier Science Ltd.