Long wave shocks

Using the biomedical term 'epidemic' to describe HIV and AIDS does not take into account its long wave nature. A social science perspective, such as livelihoods shock, which sees HIV and AIDS as a long wave event, would allow for comparisons to other long wave events or shocks and open up the possibilities for learning. For instance, comparisons could be made with the Soviet Union in the 1980’s and 90’s, where, following economic collapse male life expectancy declined rapidly due to heart disease, with many social and economic causes and effects. Another example is the unfolding arsenic crisis in Bangladesh. The effects of this long wave event are cumulative and the end results are still unknown. Moreover, there are no policy solutions as people are still drinking the tainted water. Serious impacts from both of these events have been observed and are occurring over a long period of time.

Comparative research of long term shocks is needed with practical outputs, such as pre-emptive modelling of interventions. She stresses the need to involve communities in the modelling as well as in dealing with the challenges. Moreover, policy thinking needs to recognise the contexts of people living with long term shocks and the involvement of PLWHA and their communities is crucial.