The paper focuses on key issues in research and control of infectious disea
ses and demonstrates the utility of combining a gender perspective with ant
hropological investigation both for understanding disease and for designing
and evaluating interventions for its control. Based on a definition of gen
der as opposed to sex, it illustrates, with the help of a gender framework
for tropical diseases, how this concept is applied. It argues that gender-s
ensitive research is essential to the understanding of the nature of the di
sease, its prevalence, distribution, determinants and consequences. Example
s are taken from anthropological studies on infectious diseases, including
research on urinary schistosomiasis, malaria, leprosy leishmaniasis and onc
hocerciasis. How gender-sensitive qualitative research can guide the design
and evaluation of appropriate interventions for the prevention and control
of infectious diseases is also discussed.