107 inZimbabwe, Helen Aids Action Now: Jackson, AIDS Counselling Trust & School of Social Work, Harare, 1992 ,334pp inc index, ISBN 0-7974-1146-1. Book Reviews Price: Z$25. and Support Information, Prevention targeting the most disadvantaged Effective action concerning AIDS is desperately needed. AIDS has been described as a misery-seeking missile, people and the poorest countries of the world. The country of Zimbabwe has an epidemic which else in the world. This fact can be appreciated whilst reading equals that anywhere rrrst chapter dealing with the AIDS pandemic. Policymakers would do Jackson's well to give greater heed to the implications of the HIV surveillance study results quoted by Jackson and more recent figures such as Rusape's HIV prevalence in pregnant women, a massive 46% in 1993. the material ButAlDS Action Now is far from being just a collection of erudite statistics. By interspersed with case histories, quotable contrast, quotes, cartoons, and photographs. The author has worked hard to organise her material with which she is highly conversant and to summarise and popularise research carried out by others. is highly readable, illustrations relevant Sections on counselling and employment are areas where Jackson brings her expertise to bear. Her section on orphans is a good starting point for in this area; her avoidance of" AIDS orphan" linkages of the to issues surrounding poverty and development help readers to appreci- and stratifying. Her constant is both intentional involvement considerable anyone contemplating terminology epidemic ate underlying socioeconomic factors which impact on HIY/AIDS. The book covers important national, cultural and individual factors relating to In two comprehensive describing resources areas receive and other African countries. involved with AIDS in Zimbabwe. in Zimbabwe the author provides an annotated bibliography the epidemic appendices, available Some important mitted diseases by the establishment accessibility awareness programmes versial area not addressed concerns programmes. Many AIDS programmes actually nisms. and a review of organisations important limited discussion by the author. Thus the strategy of reducing HIV spread through the control of sexually trans- increasing of community-based though contro- of different AIDS and some are and coping mecha- are only touched upon. Another important of a national control programme, treatment and the development the relative effectiveness and undermine are expensive to affordable community detrimental initiatives failures The section on traditional healers is helpful the relevance of religion to the AIDS epidemic. Itis a pity that the specific contribution traditional to the epidemic has not also been sympatheti- of Christian-based AIDS initiatives cally addressed. Some will be disappointed concerning the unnecessarily negative in understanding 108 Book Reviews view portrayed of the role of the church in AIDS-related activities. Diversity of practices abound even in the Catholic Church and one fundamental Christian organisation has recently gone so far as to say that distributing condoms to people at risk of getting HIV is an important component of a Christian-based mv prevention programme (MAP, 1993). Major paradigm changes concerning AIDS are taking place amongst church groups; as the epidemic unfolds over the next decade, we are likely to see large numbers of church volunteers involved in pre- vention, homecare and orphan support activities. Inthe chapter on mv avoidance, a large section is devoted to condom use and non-penetrative sexual activities, which latter are acknowledged to be rarely practised in Zimbabwe; by contrast, the practices of pre-marital abstinence and marital faithfulness get short shrift from Jackson. This is surprising, given the fact that the latter strategy is advocated by most agencies in Zimbabwe. A more balanced discussion of abstinence-faithfulness strategies and description of peer education methods which have led to partner-reduction behaviour change by individuals and communities would be more helpful. This book is meant especially for professionals who are being affected directly or indirectly by AIDS. It is almost certain that even the most well-informed AIDS worker will learn something useful from this superb single-author overview of AIDS and AIDS action. Will the book lead to "AIDS Action Now" as its title suggests? Certainly it will. The book represents an excellent introduction to anyone contemplating involvement in AIDS activity in sub-Saharan Africa. Reference MAP International and Christian Health Association of Kenya (1993) "Learning about AIDS in Kenya: a Guide for community trainers", in Facts and feelings about AIDS, Volume 1, MAP, Nairobi, Kenya. Reviewed by Dr Geoff Foster, Director, Family AIDS Caring Trust (FACT), Mutare, Zimbabwe. MjljIler,Valerie Quality of Life in Unemployment, HSRC/University of Natal, Pretoria, 1993, ISBN 0-7969-1352-8, xiv+ 248pp, (p/b). No price listed. Valerie Mjljllercombines qualitative and quantitative data which was gathered in in South Africa. The outcome is an easily acces- areas of chronic unemployment sible analysis which will have immediate relevance to readers in countries with developing or developed economies. Social development workers, planners and social workers all have good reason for welcoming this study. They will be encouraged by the essentially optimistic tone of the findings, but they may also be discomforted to find themselves put on the spot by its' conclusions.