When Communities Assess their AIDS Epidemics: Results of Rapid Assessment of HIV/AIDS in Eleven U.S. Cities

When Communities Assess their A.I.D.S. Epidemics is a detailed ethnographic description of the A.I.D.S. epidemic in ten U.S. cities and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Employing a rapid ethnographic assessment methodology, cities from the Atlantic to the Pacific have implemented Project R.A.R.E. (Rapid Assessment, Response, and Evaluation) efforts. These R.A.R.E. projects examine the moving edge of the A.I.D.S. epidemic through descriptions of high-risk sites and identifications of segments of the populations at greatest risk. Utilizing a series of focus groups and street interviews, local field research teams gain an insider's perspective on H.I.V. risk within social contexts. Dr. Benjamin P. Bowser, Dr. Ernest Quimby, and Dr. Merrill Singer have compiled these critical studies that analyze current conditions, challenges, and recommendations encountered by R.A.R.E. . When Communities Assess their A.I.D.S. Epidemics is a powerful and engaging text that will appeal to those interested in public health and anthropology.