Multilateral, regional, and National Determinants of Policy Adoption: The Case of HIV/AIDS Legislative Action

<p> <h3> Objectives </h3></p><p> This article examines the global legislative response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic with a particular focus on how policies were diffused internationally or regionally, or facilitated internally. <h3> Methods </h3></p><p> This article uses event history analysis combined with multinomial logit regression to model the legislative response of 133 countries. <h3> Results </h3></p><p> First, the results demonstrate that the WHO positively influenced the likelihood of a legislative response. Second, the article demonstrates that development bank aid helped to spur earlier legislative action. Third, the results demonstrate that developed countries acted earlier than developing countries. And finally, the onset and severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was a significant influence on the legislative response. <h3> Conclusion </h3></p><p> Multilateral organizations have a positive influence in global policy diffusion through informational advocacy, technical assistance, and financial aid. It is also clear that internal stressors play key roles in legislative action seen clearly through earlier action being taken in countries where the shock of the onset of HIV/AIDS occurred earlier and earlier responses taken where the epidemic was more severe.</p>