Pathways to infection: AIDS vulnerability among the Navajo

Though the development of AIDS cases among Native Americans has paralleled the early stages of the epidemic in the United States, there are socio/cultural distinctions among many U.S. tribes that could lead to transmission differences. Patterns of sexual behavior, IV drug use, suicidality, use of disinhibitors, and the rural-urban migration found among some members of the Navajo Nation are reviewed, along with recommendations for education/prevention program development. The efficacy of anthropological techniques of rapport building and information gathering about sensitive information is also discussed.