Projects > Kosovar Attitudes of Drugs and HIV/AIDS (KADAH)

Kosova has rates of drug use that are consistent with other countries of Eastern Europe and is at considerable risk for an HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is not surprising, given that Southeastern Europe is a route for drug trafficking, has a high degree of social instability, is experiencing the fastest growing rate of HIV/AIDS in the world, and that HIV/AIDS is a major problem in post-war settings. Following the war, Kosova has been opened up to global social, economic, political and cultural forces, including drug trafficking, drug abuse and commercial sex workers. Kosovar society has begun to engage in a public discourse about substance abuse and HIV/AIDS and has taken the first steps towards substance abuse and HIV/AIDS surveillance, prevention, education, care and treatment.

This is a multi-sited ethnographic investigation on substance abuse and HIV in Kosova, including the role of the family in prevention. Ethnographic study will provide a detailed and contextualized understanding of risk and preventive behaviors concerning illegal drugs and HIV/AIDS in Kosova. It will especially focus on the roles of the family in relation to prevention and treatment. It will examine what public health, preventive, and clinical interventions have face validity in Kosova, with a particular focus on understanding the social and cultural dynamics of these problems. It will build a functioning multi-disciplinary team of investigators that can continue to address illegal drugs and HIV in relation to social and cultural dynamics in Kosova. This study is based upon the most current available data and consistent with the most up-to-date policy recommendations of the relevant local and international authorities in Kosova. The researchers will conduct participant observation and semi-structured interviews with several sub-groups of Kosovars regarding their attitudes towards illegal drugs and HIV in Kosova. This study comes out of a five year collaborative relationship between our University of Illinois at Chicago based group and Kosovar health and mental health professional leaders through the Kosovar Family Professional Educational Collaborative (KFPEC).

Ministry of Health, Kosovo

University of Illinois at Chicago, USA, International Center on Responses to Catastrophes

University of Prishtina, Department of Psychology

University of Prishtina, Department of Ethnography

Kosovo AIDS Committee

Ferid Agani, MD
Ministry of Health & Department of Psychiatry

Stevan Weine, MD
University of Illinois, Chicago, USA

Ralph Cintron, PhD
University of Illinois, Chicago, USA

Anne Brisson, MPH, PhD
Fulbright Scholar/ Dartmouth Medical School, USA

Dashi Berixulli, MA
University of Prishtina, Psychology Department

Aliriza Arenliu, MA
World Health Organization

Judith Landau, MD
Link Foundation, KFPEC

Zanita Halimi
University of Prishtina, Department of Ethnography

Miftar Kryezio
University of Prishtina, Department of Ethnography

Edona Maloku
University of Prishtina, Department of Psychology

Eroll Shporta
Community Outreach Worker

Kreshnik Bajraktari
University of Prishtina, Department of Ethnography