The New York Times Magazine on Sunday examined the feasibility of HIV/AIDS prevention programs that focus on fidelity -- through marriage or a committed relationship -- to prevent HIV transmission in Africa. According to the Times Magazine, public health experts have "relegated" fidelity to "an afterthought" in current HIV/AIDS prevention programs and largely have "avoided the subject." HIV/AIDS prevention programs that focus on fidelity may appear "weighted with moral judgment," and public health experts may "feel it would be insensitive to raise" the issue or "feel it would be futile to try to change deeply rooted patterns of behavior," the Times Magazine reports. However, the "omission is serious" because in areas where HIV/AIDS prevalence has decreased, a reduction in promiscuous sexual behavior "very often had a great deal to do with it," according to the Times Magazine (Epstein, New York Times Magazine, 6/13). The complete article is available online.

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