Multiple determinants, common vulnerabilities, and creative responses: addressing the AIDS pandemic in diverse populations globally.

The AIDS epidemic has been fueled by global inequities. Ranging from sexual inequality and underdevelopment to homophobia impeding health care access for men who have sex with men, imbalanced resource allocations, and social biases have potentiated the spread of the epidemic. However, recognition of culturally specific aspects of each microepidemic has yielded development of community-based organizations, which have resulted in locally effective responses to AIDS. This effective approach to HIV prevention, care, and treatment is illustrated through examples of community-based responses in Haiti, the United States, Africa, and other impoverished settings.