AIDS, like Pandora's box, has unleashed and focused issues upon our society that have caused apprehension and anxiety. This text presents realistic approaches to the prevention of HIV infection by looking at health and behaviour from an environmental perspective. The text demonstrates that health cannot be separated from the "total" environment if we are to be effective in planning for health and HIV prevention. The view of AIDS as simply a bio-medical problem is challenged, and individual responsibility for health is debated. In order to be effective, those making decisions about HIV prevention need to respond to and attempt to understand complex social and cultural issues like sexuality, drug use, and alternative lifestyles. The book begins with the history of AIDS, focusing on North America. Behaviour change is viewed as essential, so precepts of health promotion and health belief models used to predict motivation and risk behaviour are discussed. Particular environments are examined with chapters on the general public, homosexuals/bisexuals, drug users, adolescents/street youths, and women/minorities/special needs groups. Finally, the implications of an environmental perspective are reviewed.