Poverty “Limited resources within communities affect levels of nutrition, stress, life-skills, and access to health services, which in turn impact on individuals' susceptibility to HIV infection and their ability to resist the development of the HIV to 'full blown AIDS” (Dickinson, 2004) Extreme poverty is a health risk to all people, especially those who have been exposed to HIV. Risk factors associated with poverty include: Failure to treat STI’s, Access to and quality of education, Excessive pregnancies, Poor health status and Prostitution.

Social Learning “Stigma and fear of stigma are well-recognized barriers to HIV testing, disclosure, and treatment seeking. Educational interventions have little effect on stigma.” (Jewkes, 2006) There are many social learning challenges affecting the ability for Africans to slow the spread of this deadly virus. In summary, we see topics such as misconceptions about HIV, lack of information, lack of condom use, lack of social partnership between rich and poor, denial and social stigma emerge.

Economics & Public Policy “Many communities in South Africa are geographically distant from sites of employment.The resulting separation of families greatly raises the risks of HIV transmission by raising the number of sexual contacts – often with commercial sex workers - in multiple locations.” (Dickinson, 2004) There are many reasons correlating for high HIV rates with economics. An overview of these includes: movement out of rural areas, lack of access to social services, unfair distribution of retro-antivirals, a lack of funding for primary care, and high levels of job mobility.

Social Organization & Public Policy "Whereas there are biological factors that make women more vulnerable to HIV infection than men... women’s inferior social status makes them extremely vulnerable to HIV infection, as they are least able to negotiate safe sex or to prevent sexual violence.” (Van Donk, 2003) Social organization has accelerated the spread of this deadly virus. The extreme gap between social classes, mistrust in the government, failure of the government to take action, and women’s low status and inability to take control of their sexual health are all contributing factors.