Prostitution
(continued)
evolutionary underpinnings
of males' mate preferences
-
youth - men in evolutionary
past who preferred to mate w/ women of reproductive age were more likely
to reproduce
-
physical attractiveness -
symmetry, smooth skin, sound teeth, full hair, bright eyes, full lips,
curvaceous figure - associated w/ greater health & fertility
-
men in evolutionary past
who preferred to mate w/ women who were more healthy and fertile were more
likely to reproduce
-
low commitment - opportunity
to invest resources in gaining higher status
Infectious Disease
a sociological perspective
is essential - infectious disease hinges upon social interaction
primary focus on HIV and
STDs
discussion of "Born in
Africa"
modes of transmission
sex - hierarchy of riskiness
- anal > vaginal > oral
injection - shared needles,
injection paraphernalia, administering/receiving injections
needle sticks, shared/reused
medical instruments
blood transfusion and products
Schoofs discussion
linked social problems:
overpopulation/poverty ----> increased taking of rare primates ----> HIV
epidemic
apparent discrepancy in
between men and women's reported number of sexual partners due to sampling
problems - prostitute women tend to be missed in sex surveys
Why Africa and why now?
Factors facilitating epidemics:
HIV in humans since at least
the 1930s (Korber et al.)
why didn't it break out earlier?
nowhere to go until…
changes in African societies
after World War II/independence
-
integration of groups that
were previously socially distinct
-
cities = roundhouses for
infections (people/infections from rural area move to city, transmit infections
to others, who return to other rural areas and infect still others)
-
roads & rails - easier
movement of people, penetrate virgin forests
-
early epidemic shadowed highways
in E. Africa - long distance truckers, prostitutes
-
wars (independence, civil)
- movement of men not accompanied by regular partners to new geographic
areas, develop new partnerships w/ local women
-
public health vaccination
- reuse and nonsterilization of hypodermic needles
-
globalization - air travel
stimulates increased contact between countries
-
changes began in the 1950s/60s,
epidemic not noticed until late 1970s (10 year latency)
Sexual and other risk
networks
changes in African societies
ultimately = changes in sexual networks
risky behavior alone does
not put one at risk for infection
having many partners does
not in itself put one at risk
risk of infection depends
on who one mixes with, type of contact, and whether either person is infected
sexual networks confirm sexual
transmission of HIV (Darrow et al.)