Unbelievable: AIDS reporting in the business press.

Résumé fourni par la source

This article reviews some of the key AIDS-related issues highlighted in the business press over the last 2 years. AIDS reporting in the business press has done little to enlighten its audience. Reports on the macroeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS has been limited to repeated citations of 1-2% annual declines in GDP; still others show that it has only a small and statistically insignificant impact on macroeconomic indicators. Business in South Africa is projected to decrease by 2-50% in the productivity levels of its work force in the next 5-10 years. Moreover, 25% of the work force is expected to be infected with AIDS within the next 10 years, and death rates will rise to up to 18%. Illness and death, early retirement, medical assistance and health care, and training and recruitment have all been noted as potential areas of rising costs of AIDS to business. While business reporting tends to concentrate on this side of the epidemic, it has reported a range of issues related to AIDS and has highlighted several well-considered responses to HIV/AIDS. Recommendations to improve business press reporting on HIV/AIDS are given.