Comments on: Halleluliah! (not). Faith healing could spread HIV

By: Kate J

Kate J — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:59:17 +0000

A year ago I was in Ethiopia doing research on micro-economic development projects and HIV/AIDS and was overwhelmed at the number of theses from Addis Ababa University that were focused on the potential for holy water to cure AIDS…

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:31:01 +0000

Chris: I stand corrected; thanks for the comment on adherence rates, too. To those of us who are sloppy even about finishing a course of antibiotics, this discipline is remarkable and admirable.

Roger: I’ve got both versions and yes they’re the same. Amazing how books shrink in paperback.

By: Chris Green

Chris Green — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:48:09 +0000

‘…to use the AIDS Inc. jargon, that their “compliance” is high’

No, Eli, the correct jargon (if that is the right word) is “adherence”. “Compliance” suggests enforcement, as in the original concept of Directly Observed Therapy (DOTS) for TB, where pills were physically popped into the mouths of patients to ensure that they were taken. This active approach may be appropriate for six month’s therapy, but would be impossible to assure for a lifetime.

“Adherence” implies a personal discipline. People are encouraged to understand why they must take the right pills in the right way at the right time. They take them because they want to, not because they are told to.

This approach has been remarkably effective in the developing world. Many friends in Indonesia are 99.99% adherent after more then three years on therapy. One says that her pill-taking has become like ‘wajib sholat (the Muslim requirement to pray)’, and she feels that something is missing if she is even a few minutes late.

Chris

By: Roger

Roger — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:38:10 +0000

Are you sure the two books are the same? The number of pages is quite different… 368 vs 240… though the story seems very similar.