AIDS and pauperization: principal concepts and empirical evidence

O artigo discute as estrat??gias metodol??gicas que v??m sendo usadas na an??lise das inter-rela????es entre a vulnerabilidade ao HIV/AIDS e as desigualdades sociais, o preconceito e a marginaliza????o, ressaltando-se as dificuldades metodol??gicas e as estrat??gias alternativas de investiga????o encontradas. Os principais achados da literatura internacional e brasileira foram revistos, enfatizando-se os temas: dimens??es econ??micas e macropol??ticas da difus??o do HIV/ AIDS; papel do consumo e da pol??tica de drogas; desigualdade e preconceito de g??nero; desigualdade e preconceito racial/origem ??tnica; intera????o com as demais infec????es sexualmente transmiss??veis e sua rela????o com a pobreza; padr??es de assist??ncia ?? sa??de e HIV/AIDS, em especial, acesso a anti-retrovirais; e viola????o dos direitos humanos. Apesar da restrita produ????o acad??mica brasileira e dos dilemas metodol??gicos envolvidos no exame das inter-rela????es entre vari??veis psicossociais, culturais, s??cio-pol??ticas e vulnerabilidade ao HIV/AIDS, tais temas devem ser investigados em detalhe - considerando especificidades sociais e culturais do Brasil - e beneficiados pelas novas estrat??gias de pesquisa.This paper discusses methodologies for analyzing relations between social inequalities, marginalization, prejudice, and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, highlighting current difficulties and alternative research strategies. It also reviews the international and Brazilian literature, emphasizing: economic and macropolitical dimensions in the spread of HIV/AIDS; the role of drug policies and consumption; gender inequalities and prejudice; racial/ethnic inequalities and prejudice; and interaction with other STIs and their relationship to poverty; HIV/AIDS and health care standards, especially access to antiretroviral therapy; and human rights violations. Despite current methodological dilemmas in analyzing relations between psychosocial, cultural, and sociopolitical variables and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and the limited Brazil literature, such themes merit further investigation, addressing Brazilian social and cultural specificities and profiting from recently developed research strategies