Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Glob Public Health. 2011;6(4):447-61. doi: 10.1080/17441692.2010.515235.
The effects of HIV/AIDS have been far-reaching in Africa. Beyond adverse health outcomes and the tremendous toll on life, AIDS has serious economic impacts on households, increasing livelihood insecurity while simultaneously depleting socio-economic resources. Although microfinance is believed to have the potential to mitigate the economic impacts of HIV by helping affected households and communities better prepare for and cope with HIV-related economic shocks, little empirical research exists on this subject. This qualitative study examines the socio-economic impacts of economic strengthening activities on people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the era of increased access to anti-retroviral therapy to determine if savings-led, community-managed microfinance is a justified activity for HIV programmes. Findings from a village savings and loan programme, implemented by CARE International in Cote d'Ivoire, revealed that when appropriate medical treatment is available PLHIV are capable of participating in and benefit from microfinance activities, which increased HIV-positive clients' access to money and economic self-sufficiency. By bringing individuals with similar experiences together, savings and loan groups also acted as self-support groups providing psychosocial support while reducing stigmatisation and increasing members' sense of dignity and self-worth.
艾滋病在非洲的影响是深远的。艾滋病不仅对健康造成了不良影响，给生命带来了巨大损失，还对家庭造成了严重的经济影响，增加了生计的不安全性，同时耗尽了社会经济资源。尽管人们认为小额信贷有可能通过帮助受艾滋病影响的家庭和社区更好地为与艾滋病相关的经济冲击做好准备和应对，从而减轻艾滋病的经济影响，但关于这一主题的实证研究很少。本定性研究考察了在抗逆转录病毒疗法可及性增加的时代，经济增强活动对艾滋病毒感染者（PLHIV）的社会经济影响，以确定以储蓄为导向、社区管理的小额信贷是否是艾滋病毒规划的合理活动。在科特迪瓦，国际援外合作署实施的一个村庄储蓄和贷款方案的调查结果显示，在有适当医疗的情况下，艾滋病毒感染者能够参与并受益于小额信贷活动，这增加了艾滋病毒阳性客户获得资金和经济自给自足的机会。储蓄和贷款小组将有类似经历的人聚集在一起，也充当了自助小组，提供心理支持，同时减少了污名化，并增加了成员的尊严感和自我价值感。
