The genesis of the AIDS policy and AIDS Space in Brazil (1981-1989)

• Published in: Revista de saúde pública 2016-01, Vol.50
• Main Authors: Barros, Sandra Garrido de, Vieira-da-Silva, Ligia Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - history; Bourdieu; Brazil; Equity in Health; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Original; Policy Making; Public Health - history; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; Social Determinants of Health; Social Medicine - history; SOCIOLOGY; Sociology, Medical
• ISSN: 0034-8910; 1518-8787; 1518-8787; 0034-8910
• DOI: 10.1590/S1518-8787.2016050005801

To analyze the genesis of the policy for controlling AIDS in Brazil. Socio-historical study (1981-1989), based on Bordieu's genetic sociology, by document analysis, bibliographical review, and in-depth interviews. It consisted of a connection between the analysis of the paths of 33 agents involved in the creation of a social space focusing on AIDS-related issues and the historical possibility conditions of the drafting of a specific policy. AIDS Space is a gathering point for the paths of agents from several social fields (medical, scientific, political, and bureaucratic fields). A specific space for relationships, which enabled the drafting of a policy for controlling the AIDS epidemic, but also a place where the authority to talk about the meaning of the disease, the methods to prevent and treat it was under dispute. The analysis showed how the various structures (democratic administrations in Sao Paulo and at the national level, with public health officers taking important positions) and the lack of a specific therapy contributed to social agents of different ranks and backgrounds to initially set prevention as a priority. The rise of the sanitary movement, the organization of SUS, and the dominance of the medical field at the AIDS Space contributed to foster treatment as a part of the measures to control the epidemic. These conditions allowed drafting a policy based on the integrality of care, by linking prevention and treatment in the following decade, with important participation from state bureaucracy and researchers. Analisar a gênese da política de controle da aids no Brasil. Estudo sócio-histórico (1981-1989), orientado pela sociologia genética de Bourdieu, por meio de análise documental, revisão bibliográfica e entrevistas em profundidade. Consistiu na articulação entre a análise das trajetórias de 33 agentes envolvidos na criação de um espaço social voltado para as questões relativas à aids e as condições históricas de possibilidade para a formulação de uma política específica. O Espaço Aids constituiu-se como produto do encontro da trajetória de agentes de diversos campos sociais (médico, científico, político e burocrático). Um espaço específico de relações, que possibilitou a formulação de uma política para o controle da epidemia da aids, mas onde também estava em disputa a autoridade de falar sobre o significado da doença, suas formas de prevenção e tratamento. A análise mostrou como as estruturas (governos democráticos no estado de São Paul