Vulnerability to AIDS: an empirical analysis of socio-economic attributes of the infected people in Mizoram, India

In this paper an attempt has been made to study the socio-economic attributes of the HIV positive cases in Mizoram- a state in India located close to the ‘Golden Triangle’. Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in the state increases due to state’s geographical proximity to international boundary (Bangladesh in the West and ‘Golden Triangle’ – Myanmar, Thailand and Laos in the East), where there is high incidence of HIV/AIDS and the region which traditionally offers passage to drug and heroin. The study takes into account the demographic background of the infected persons including their age, sex, marital status as well as their family, educational status and religious persuasion etc. Their economic status and the mode of contracting the infection, level of awareness etc constitute the other aspects. The study through personal interviews of some 30 odd infected persons also investigates into the consequences they face in the society in terms of reaction of the family, discrimination faced etc.