HIV/AIDS Project

Dr Fiona Larkan and Dr Eilish McAuliffe are leading the Centre's research initiatives in the area of HIV/AIDS. Presently, we are developing initiatives which aim to address:

1. The relationship between socio-structural-environmental context and reproductive behaviour among various disadvantaged population groups in sub-Saharan Africa, notably young women in rural Zimbabwe and adolescent slum inhabitants in Anglo-phone West Africa
2. The role of adult heterosexual men in facilitating the spread of HIV has increased the need for more information to understand the dynamics between men's heterosexual behaviour and the spread of HIVAIDS in many populations all over the world. Research in this area has become more urgent given the increasing migration of young unmarried men from areas of high prevalence to areas of low prevalence.

The unprecedented economic boom of the "Celtic Tiger" has made Ireland, a country with low HIV prevalence, an important destination for migrant workers from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America. Since the majority of migrants are unaccompanied, it is important to investigate their patterns of sexual behaviour and the implications for the spread of HIV/AIDS and the health system in Ireland.

Other Research Projects