The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in HIV Prevention and Care in Central America

This book provides a brief yet practical overview of the ways in which faith-based organisations (FBOs) are operating in HIV prevention and care in Central America. It combines academically rigorous qualitative research with practical application. Although it misses out the opportunity to contextualise this response with a comparative analysis from other places it is a highly accessible introduction to a largely unresearched field.

HIV/AIDS in Latin America has been called the overlooked epidemic. Attention has been given to the higher prevalence countries in Africa. Yet these three countries of Central America where the study took place have significant infection rates: Belize (2.5 per cent), Honduras (1.5 per cent) and Guatemala (0.9 per cent). This is the first study that looks at the role of FBOs in responding to HIV in the region. This study is highly relevant as globally there is increased attention to the potential value that FBOs can add to development. The study helpfully identifies the particular role of FBOs in the field of HIV. It points out both their contribution as well as the hindrances in a balanced way. This book comes at a time when global attention to HIV is decreasing. This study helps keep such a critical issue on the development agenda.
 

The full book review is available here:

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09614524.2011.590892